Above / Judge Don Hennessey is pictured here with students from Naperville North High School and folks who visited Hines V.A. Hospital to spread holiday cheer in 2011. Oh! The fond memories! For 2016, the bus departs at 6:15PM Tues., Dec. 13, 2016, from the VFW. All are welcome.
UPDATE, Dec. 15, 2016 / Folks gathered at 6PM Dec. 13, 2016, at the Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873 to board a school bus that traveled to Hines V.A. Hospital in Maywood, Illinois. Other folks drove independently. The next scheduled visit to play Bingo is Tues., Jan. 10, 2017. All are welcome any and every month, September through June. Transportation is provided by Naperville veterans’ organizations.
Above / A record 37 carolers from Naperville arrived at Hines V.A. Hospital for the annual sing-along, dividing into two groups to spread good cheer while visiting Veterans receiving treatment. With the words to military service songs, holiday music and Christmas carols in hand, the singers “decked the halls” with holiday spirit going room to room throughout the Spinal Unit.
PHOTO GALLERY / A few photos from the Dec. 13, 2016, Holiday Sing-along at Hines and the VFW.
[shareprints gallery_id=”68439″ gallery_type=”squares” gallery_position=”pos_center” gallery_width=”width_100″ image_size=”small” image_padding=”0″ theme=”dark” image_hover=”false” lightbox_type=”slide” titles=”true” captions=”true” descriptions=”true” comments=”true” sharing=”true”]Original Post / Members of the community are invited to join a group of regulars who visit Hines V.A. Hospital on the second Tuesday of the month, September through June.
Local citizens meet up with veterans at 6PM in the VFW Post Canteen, sign in and prepare to depart to Hines V.A. Hospital via a bus provided by the Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873.
Organized by John Shaw, the public is invited to join the group that travels to the hospital in Maywood to visit with veterans receiving treatment in the Spinal Unit at Hines. They play Bingo, distribute hand-made greeting cards of cheer and appreciation from local students as well as pass out lap blankets and engage in friendly conversation.
Upon their return to Naperville, usually before 9:30PM, they stop by the canteen again to regroup and share a few new memories about the experience.
Sing-along on Dec. 13
On Tues., Dec. 13, the group heads to Hines for its annual sing-along of holiday songs.
“The bus leaves promptly from the Post at 6:15PM,” said Mike Barbour for the VFW. “Come join us. You will feel so good after we are done caroling. The Veterans are so appreciative.”
And afterward when the bus returns to Naperville, the carolers have been known to celebrate the season with more accordion accompaniment and singing in the canteen back at the Judd Kendall VFW.
For more information about Hines visits, call Shaw at (630) 961-3479.
The Judd Kendall VFW is located at 908 W. Jackson Ave., just west of downtown Naperville.
Editor’s Note / For more information about the Post Holiday Party on Sat., Dec. 17, 2016, committees and programs offered by members of the award-winning Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873, visit www.napervfw3873.org.
Throughout the year, the facility also hosts programs and events provided by the American Legion Post 43 as well as the Judd Kendall VFW. In addition, the VFW provides space for rental to community groups and individuals for birthday parties, memorial events, weddings, candidate meet-and-greets and so on.
For instance, on the second Tuesday of most months, the Naperville Jaycees meet at 7:30PM upstairs. They often present monthly donations to local nonprofit agencies with proceeds from their fundraisers such as Last Fling.
