U.S. Army private named Round Lake Area Exchange Club Hometown Hero

The Round Lake Area Exchange Club and sponsor Savory Spice Shop Libertyville have announced their Hometown Hero for September: U.S. Army Private Kody Stone, an 18-year resident of Antioch.

He was registered for this honor by his mother, Beth Stone, also of Antioch.

Stone is a 2014 graduate from Antioch Community High School. He has been in the Army a little over eight months. He is an Air Defense Enhanced Early Warning Systems Operator currently stationed at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma.

With the support of this month's sponsor, Savory Spice Shop Libertyville, Stone's "Hanging with the Heroes" care package will be filled with granola bars, snacks and a special request for iPod earbuds. Also included is a personalized "Hanging with the Heroes" T-shirt donated by ArtRageous of Hainesville, letters from Round Lake Area School District 116 students, a specially made rosary for the military from Legion of Mary from St. Joseph's in Round Lake and a piece of home.

The Round Lake Area Exchange Club presented a plaque to his family Sept. 24 at Panera Bread in Round Lake Beach.

The Round Lake Area Exchange Club is asking for help from the community in getting more of the troops signed up for this honor. If you have a neighbor, family member, friend, employee, employer, etc. serving in the military, register them by visiting www.rlaexchange.org/hero.

Any and all military personnel serving overseas or in the U.S. from any of the Round Lake areas, Hainesville, Fox Lake, Ingleside or surrounding areas qualify for the program.

For more information, visit the website or call Sherry Ridge at (847) 740-2379.