Military 1st Day honors veterans with special program

Special moments bring together special people.

The entire staff at Country Inn and Suites in Elgin were amazed and grateful to all that participated in Military 1st Day, honoring servicemen and women, whether active, deployed and veterans.

Country Inn and Suites in Elgin, as well locations across the U.S. and Canada, offered a program to honor the military by partnering with Operation Gratitude. In addition to supporting the military with special rates and upgrades, Country Inn and Suites is offering Operation Gratitude's Battalion Buddies which gives all guests a way to write special notes to those deployed.

With the help of two local veterans Greg McKinney and John Westphal of the St. Charles American Legion Post, members of the World War II Historical Re-enactment Society came dressed in the military uniforms and jeeps to bring awareness to this program.

Children staying at Country Inn & Suites in Elgin during a local soccer tournament that attracted teams from across the country took time out of their busy day to decorate and write letters to the deployed.

Patrons came together to share stories of those they know who serve and many shared about their own military service. One patron was bought to tears remembering her father who had served in South Korea and recently passed away. She was comforted with a Battalion Buddy Teddy bear which she hugged tightly with pride in honor of her father.

Nothing brings a more diverse group together than the love for our military. To learn more about Military 1st program, stop by Country Inn and Suites, 2270 Point Blvd. in Elgin.