Jim Hoch Report
“Naperville Responds For Veterans knocked it out of the park yesterday…Over 800 attendees at their annual Strength and Honor luncheon,” said Jim Hoch, a local photographer known to capture special events for Veterans and first responders for his website, jameshochphotography.smugmug.com. “Over 600 veterans were in attendance!!!”
Hoch also noted two special recognitions by Naperville residents and Vietnam Veterans Wayne Fischer and Phil Maughan regarding the Vietnam Wall of Remembrance with panels that had been “printed” by Ray Kinney of Blooming Color in 2023. To replicate the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., the reusable panels are the centerpieces for the frames that were designed and built by Brian Dilger and Patrick Rubald for Veterans Day 2023, then reassembled for the return of the Field of Flags in November 2025.
“It was nice to see Brian Dilger and Patrick Rubald publicly recognized for their tireless work in erecting the Vietnam Wall of Remembrance over the years!”
Captain Dan “Trigger” Brown, a Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, gave the keynote address.
“The speaker of the day was also very captivating,” Hoch wrote. “He started off by lightening the mood with a take off on his bio and Veteran movies, and just when everyone finally figured out the joke, he transitioned into the real meat of his presentation.”
Hoch continued, “The two things that really stuck out in my mind were the ones where they were picked up and dangling, connected to a rope under a helicopter for an extraction—and he thought that fun! My mind raced to being a flying target, suspended in mid air. Then, the rescue of the hostages aboard the freighter was also intriguing.”
The photos and a couple videos taken by Hoch can be seen around the clock at James Hoch Photography:
Hoch added, “And as always, send (the link) along to anyone else who would like to see them, and everyone can download whatever they would like to have for their personal use!”
Heartfelt Gratitude to All!
Thanks to Presenting Sponsors, Terry & Susan Hanson Foundation and Mesón Sabika
On behalf of Naperville Responds for Veterans, President Dan Jurjovec thanked all the incredible sponsors, generous patrons, and dedicated supporting cast. The 2026 Strength and Honor Lunch was a record-breaking success with 600 Veterans in attendance and standing room only with a capacity crowd of 800-plus.
“All support made this event truly unforgettable—and impactful,” Jurjovec said.
“We’re grateful to each and every one of you for helping make a difference,” added Jurjovec. “And a special thanks to keynote speaker Captain Dan “Trigger” Brown, a Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.”
For more information about the mission of Naperville Responds for Veterans, begin by checking out its events schedule at www.napervilleresponds.org/events. Look for their float in the annual Naperville Memorial Day Parade that steps off at 10:30AM Mon., May 25.
