Lisle Rotary remembers troops from all conflicts with ball
Party goers will dance among stars and flags at the Lisle Rotary Club's inaugural Red, White and Blue Ball.
The event promises a whole lot of patriotism, with a dash of elegance, enthusiasm and entertainment. Organizers hope to rekindle awareness and raise money for past and present American troops.
The issues of those who serve or have served their country in the military were brought to the forefront when Major Tammy Duckworth visited the Lisle Rotary last year. The assistant secretary of public and intergovernmental affairs of the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs spoke of the challenges troops face on active duty as well as back home.
Duckworth said 23 percent of all homeless in the country are veterans and challenged Rotarians to help eliminate that disturbing trend, Rotary organizer Jim Renn said.
Duckworth is a veteran who served in Iraq as a helicopter pilot, where she earned a Purple Heart. She also is the past director of the Illinois Department of Veteran Affairs.
The Lisle Rotary accepted her challenge.
"We wanted to incorporate the community in our effort," Chairwoman Rita Kula said. "We felt a social event is a good way to do both."
The philanthropic organization will host its first Red, White and Blue Ball at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Hilton Lisle/Naperville, 3003 Corporate West Drive in Lisle.
The ballroom will display a collection of photographs from the First Division Museum at Cantigny in Wheaton. Re-enactors dressed in authentic uniforms from various battles and wars will add a historic component to the affair as they mingle with guests and answer questions.
"Paul Herbert, executive director of Cantigny First Foundation, has been invaluable to organizing our event," Renn said.
Arriving guests will view a collection of historic vehicles used by the military. Some of those will be displayed Aug. 29 in downtown Lisle, at which time Rotary members will sell tickets to the ball.
Tickets are $125 each and include an open bar, hors d'oeuvres, dinner, silent auction and live music by Darryl Boggs and Savannah, his seven-piece band with vocalists. Sponsors include Benedictine University, DePaul University, Lisle Savings Bank, Arbor Printing and Graphics and others.
Tickets are available by sending a check to Rotary Club of Lisle, c/o Jim Renn, Lisle Savings Bank, 1450 Maple Ave., Lisle, IL 60532.
Silent auction items include an American Flag that flew over the U.S. Capital, a book signed by Sen. John McCain, a Lake Geneva cruise with brunch, tickets to a Chicago theater, Bears football tickets with parking, as well as other merchant certificates and services.
The room's décor will include white tablecloths, red napkins and patriotic-themed centerpieces.
Although such ambiance is far from the black sand beach of Iwo Jima, the amphibian assault at Inchon, the relentless jungles of Vietnam and parched terrain of Iraq and Afghanistan, organizers are passionate about keeping alive the concern and appreciation America's military personnel deserve.
All proceeds will benefit the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans in Wheaton and Operation Support Our Troops of Illinois in Lisle.
The Lance Corporal Nicholas Larson Home for Veterans, which opened two years ago in Wheaton, provides shelter, food, counseling, medical care, job training and placement, and independent living skills at no cost to the veteran. At the present time, the organization is at capacity with five male residents. Plans to increase the number to 15 and include women are under way.
"Right now our expansion is a funding issue," said Bob Adams, president and clinical director. A Vietnam veteran, Adams is a licensed clinical social worker who volunteers at the shelter.
Adams said there are thousands of homeless veterans in the Chicago metropolitan area.
"The two issues we deal with here are post-traumatic stress disorder, which comes about for a variety of reasons and most often because a veteran served in combat," Adams said. "The other is substance abuse, which is often one of the coping mechanisms people use to deal with post-traumatic stress.
"We are grateful for the opportunity to provide this work," Adams said. "Our success rate shows 82 percent of our residents graduate with a job, place to live and sobriety."
For details and a wish list of needed items for the shelter, go to helpaveteran.org, e-mail information@mshv.org or call (630) 871-8387.
Operation Support Our Troops of Illinois has sent roughly 25,000 packages to servicemen and women in its six-year history. Each 25-pound package of donated items costs the group about $25. The nonprofit group maintains a list of active military persons to send a free package. Go to osotil.org to add a name or view the donation wish list.
"We want our troops to know that we love and support them and value their sacrifice," said founder Debi Rickert. "For every American, on some level, they need to be aware these men and women are all of our sons and daughters and they are in harm's way. It is important to remember this on a daily basis."
The group also helps fund Fisher House, which is under construction and will house families of military members receiving treatment at Hines VA Hospital.
Currently, the charity is filling 6,000 Christmas stockings. It is in need of new paperback books, DVDs and CDs, hand-held games, and the kind of small items traditionally found in a Christmas stocking.
OSOTIL will hold a Healing Field of Honor on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, and plans to fly full-size flags. Details are on its Web site.
From ordinary lives, valiant men and women trained and served their country with pride thousands of miles away from home.
Americans should never forget the cost of freedom. Attending the Rotary's Red, White and Blue Ball is a way to say "Thank you" to past and current members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard.
<p class="factboxheadblack">If you go </p> <p class="News"><b>What:</b> Lisle Rotary Club's inaugural Red, White and Blue Ball</p> <p class="News"><b>When: </b>6:30 p.m. Sept. 12</p> <p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Hilton Lisle/Naperville, 3003 Corporate West Drive, Lisle </p> <p class="News"><b>Purpose:</b> To raise money for past and present U.S. troops</p> <p class="News"><b>Tickets: </b>$125 </p> <p class="News"><b>Info:</b> (630) 852-3710</p>