Veterans honored with pinning ceremony at Thrive of Lisle

Compassus, a nationwide provider of integrated home-based care services, hosted an event to ensure veterans at Thrive of Lisle were honored this Veterans Day.

Ann Ovsak and Joseph Agnello provided patriotic pins, certificates and an American flag cake for the program. Agnello used a moving PowerPoint presentation to help educate the staff and guests at Thrive about the difficulties for veterans when they returned home and tried to adjust to their new families and civilian life.

When the veterans were given their certificates, challenge coins and pins, they were encouraged to tell their stories. Most of the veterans were from the Vietnam era and recalled their unwelcome homecoming. Of the dozen men honored at the ceremony, nine served in the Army, two were in the Air Force, and one was in the National Guard. All of the men were recently hospitalized and were in need of short-term rehabilitation at Thrive.

This traveling ceremony filled the void that was left when the veterans were unable to attend their annual community celebrations because they were recovering from their injuries and illnesses.