Quinn has Christmas lunch with sailors

Gov. Pat Quinn is spending part of this Christmas Day with U.S. service members.

The governor’s office said Wednesday that the Chicago Democrat had Christmas lunch with more than 100 service members from Naval Station Great Lakes. It’s the eighth year that West suburban Berwyn has hosted the event called “Christmas Day with Sailors.”

In a statement Quinn says veterans and service members are a gift.

The service members who participated were not able to go home for the holidays.

Veterans’ issues have been one of Quinn’s priorities. The governor also paid a visit last week to wounded military men and women from Illinois who are getting treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. There he delivered cards made by Illinois children.