Hanover Twp. thanks veterans, and veterans are grateful
Hanover Township kicked off its fifth annual Support Our Troops Marathon Friday afternoon, but more events will occur today until 2 p.m.
Though the main purpose of the event is to collect donations of supplies for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, it makes veterans feel good about their prior service as well.
"It's wonderful that they're appreciating not just myself but all these guys," said Army veteran Richard Poremba of Bartlett. "It's nice to be appreciated."
Having served in Vietnam in 1965 and '66, Poremba said it's still a pleasant shock to receive any form of gratitude from anyone.
Not only was he recently inducted into the township's veteran honor roll and got invited to a reception at the start of Friday's event, but while there he was also invited to join a new organization called Freedom Team Salute.
Thomas Carter of Streamwood is a retired Army captain and an ambassador for Freedom Team Salute. He said the purpose of the agency started in 2005 is to say "Thank you" to Army veterans like Poremba -- words long overdue in some cases.
"Every veteran event we go to we find more people," Carter said.
Marine Edward Pfannkuche Jr. of Streamwood has been attending the Support Our Troops event for the past four years. Having served in Korea from 1951 to '54, he said there's still a feeling of kinship with the Marines serving today, even though the nature of their mission is quite different.
"The conditions are totally different now," he said sympathetically. "At least we had a scrimmage line, while they don't. But it's still bang-bang."
Joseph Perrino of Streamwood is a Navy veteran from the Korean era, serving in Japan from 1953 to 1955. He said the nature of his Navy service was a little different from many others'.
"I was in the Navy, but I was never on a ship," he laughed. "They flew me to Japan, they flew me back."
He'd joined up while a high school senior in Melrose Park. Though this was the first year he'd heard of Hanover Township's event, he welcomed opportunities to meet with other veterans.
Ron Henricksen of Streamwood served in Vietnam with the Army in 1965 and '66, but felt a lot younger than many of the other veterans Friday. But he, too, was pleased to take part in such an event.
"You do feel like a band of brothers," he said.
Township Clerk Brian McGuire said the event was born as a result of a Youth in Government day a few years ago for high school seniors. One of the activities was to come up with a new program, and because one girl's brother was serving in Afghanistan, the idea became supporting the troops.
Since then, the idea has grown and evolved each year, adding such events as a classic car show and today's face-painting, car wash and crafts.
"The whole purpose of that is to give people another reason to drop by," McGuire said.