Lake County American Legion Auxiliary honors Gold Star members
Lake County's 10th District American Legion Auxiliary members honored their Gold Star members whose loved ones perished in U.S. military conflicts and recognized the past district presidents.
The district has about 800 senior and junior members registered to 13 units in Waukegan, Antioch, Libertyville, Deerfield, Lake Forest, Gurnee, Highland Park, Zion, Fox Lake, Round Lake, Wauconda, Lake Zurich and Mundelein. The American Legion Auxiliary is the largest women's patriotic service organization in the world.
"To our Gold Star members, I give you honor," Lavera Davis, past second division president, past president of the Waukegan unit, and co-emcee for the April 25 event, announced to the audience of 80 auxiliary members and their spouses.
"We know you have filled all those empty places in your heart with happy memories."
The Lake County District, established in 1942, offers dozens of volunteer opportunities at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago for veterans. Co-emcee Linda Regalado, 10th District vice president, Gold Star chairman, VA & Rehabilitation chairman and the Fox Lake Post 703 Auxiliary past president, described events such as a spring dance in which patients donned suit jackets and stepped or wheeled onto the hospital dance floor.
The 13 units staff and fund holiday parties, bingo games, a care room for families of hospital patients, coordinate a Christmas shop with free gifts that patients can select for family members, and gather household and food items for patients moving into independent housing.
Special off-site events include the Fox Lake fishing derby June 13 that partners patients with boat owners for an afternoon of fishing and a pig roast.
For the past two years, the 10th District Auxiliary has been voted Best Gold Star program by the Department of Illinois American Legion Auxiliary.
At the luncheon, Gold Star members were presented with personal gifts. Arlene Lolley of Wildwood choked back tears as she mentioned her late husband, Doyle Parson, who was killed while in the Navy in Vietnam. Myrle Madole of Libertyville held a photo of her brother, Merritt Pratt, in his Army uniform. He was a decorated World War II soldier who was killed during the Korean conflict. His remains have not been found. Mary Krell of Wadsworth also lost a brother during the Korean conflict.
The luncheon events included a raffle that raised $500 for women veterans and the 10th District's nurse's college scholarship program.
The American Legion Auxiliary provides programs and services that support patriotism, scholarship, oratorical and essay contests, women's leadership, military families, a creative arts festival and care activities for veterans.
Find out more about membership, volunteer and donation opportunities by contacting www.alaforveterans.org or call Arlene Lolley at (847) 361-4769.