Above / Chaplain Dick Komarek, Public Relations Chairman Jim Vahle and Historian Lee Lindberg are pictured during a previous Naperville American Legion Citizens of the Year presentation. (PN File Photo)
Since 1986, Naperville American Legion Post 43 has recognized annually a Naperville citizen for extraordinary service. The program was expanded in 2014 to include multiple categories. On Sat., April 20, 2019, the patriotic veterans organization will host an Awards and Recognition Dinner to honor individuals in three service categories: service to community, service to veterans and service to youth.
Service to Community: Joe Labut
Since joining Naperville Community Radio Watch (NCRW) in 1993, Joe Labut has provided over 4,000 hours of community service in a multitude of tasks, including night time Police Beat Patrols, training patrols, seat belt compliance patrols, and patrols targeting high crime areas. He has also conducted hand held mobile device surveys, radar surveys, and special event security patrols during Ribfest, art fairs, parades, and other occasions, such as Black Wednesday, that bring large crowds to the city.
Labut was twice named the NCRW Member of the Year, served as President from 1999 to 2010, and in 2018 he returned to the board, where he has focused on updating the new recruit training manual, NCRW procedure manuals, and service contracts for special events. This past year he was instrumental in adding five new members and a half dozen prospective members currently in training.
Service to Veterans: Richard Yndestad
Richard Yndestad’s serves veterans in a multitude of ways.On Fridays, he can be found at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery “Sounding Taps” for the veterans being buried that day. He fills the same roll for the combined Naperville American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars post’s “Honor Guard” for local burials and funeral home “Walk thru’s,” honoring those veterans at their wakes.
Yndestad makes himself and his bugle available for other veterans causes, such as the DuPage Veterans Foundation Fund Raiser in support of Honor Flight Chicago, which sends WWII, Korean (era) and Vietnam (era) veterans to Washington D.C. to visit military branch memorials and be honored by their fellow citizens. He is also editor of Naperville American Legion Post 43’s monthly newsletter, which has been named the Number 1 Newsletter in Illinois, for posts with over 400 members.
Service to Youth: Alissa Johnson Tripas
Like her fellow Service Award winners, Alissa Johnson Tripas is tireless in working for others, and she has done so over an extended period of time. One nomination letter describes her enthusiasm and leadership as boundless; she is an example to all. Students in Naperville enjoy a high-quality education, along with social and emotional support, because of people like her.
Johnson Tripas has been a member of the Naperville Education Foundation Board of Trustees for six years and served as Chair for two years. She founded and, for five years, chaired Team Naperville Education Foundation, which has raised an estimated $175,000 to benefit students in Naperville School District 203. She is founder and chair of Team NEF Kids; serves on the board for Young Naperville Singers; is President of Junior League of Kane and DuPage Counties; President and Board member of the Home and School Association of Kinsley Elementary School and has been an event committee lead at SamaraCare Counseling.
Awards & Recognition Dinner is April 20, 2019
For more information about all the programs, services, socials, membership and activities of the organization, visit www.naperlegion.org.
Story submitted by Jim Vahle for the American Legion Post 43. (PN File Photo)
