Aurora to honor veterans during Vets Week

Retired Marine Staff Sgt. Carlos Garcia was a proud veteran of Operation Desert Storm and the U.S. invasion of Panama.

When he died unexpectedly in 2011 at the age of 46, his widow, Lisa Garcia of Aurora, had a huge void to fill in her life.

Her husband's death, she said, "gave me a whole new perspective of life and living."

Now the vice chairwoman of the Aurora Veterans Advisory Council, Garcia said she became "a volunteer nut, with my passion being helping veterans."

It was through that volunteerism that the idea for the inaugural Aurora Vets Week, sponsored by the council, was born. The combination celebration and observance will begin Saturday, May 21, and continue through Memorial Day.

"I came up with the idea of Vets Week Aurora and ran it by (the council). We put our thinking caps on and picked Armed Forces Day, May 21st, as the kickoff," she said. "Although nine days of events wasn't my initial plan, it just so happened to work out with the calendar and ending on Memorial Day."

Nearly a year of planning later and a long list of events has filled out the schedule, including wreath-laying ceremonies at the city's war memorials, a car show, a World War II exhibit, a presentation of "Good Morning Vietnam" at the Paramount Theatre, a barbecue and a 5K run. Festivities conclude with a Memorial Day parade at noon May 30 downtown.

"This is our attempt to pay it forward, show our veterans that we care and give them another open door," council Chairman Joseph Toma said. "What greater pleasure could you have than to do that? That's what it's all about."

There also will be activities planned at area schools, including a day when children can shake hands with veterans.

Throughout the week the council will be raising money to help veterans in need. Garcia said all proceeds will help fund veteran housing, job placement programs, service dogs, scholarships for family members of veterans and programs to educate the public on post-traumatic stress disorder.

"Vets Week is important to me and all of Aurora. Our veterans deserve all the respect, support, love and gratitude every day, not just nine days," Garcia said. "I am so honored to be on AVAC and to be part of this historic event for the City of Aurora, the state of Illinois and, most importantly, our veterans."