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Join First Division Museum in paying tribute on Veterans Day

Posted November 01, 2020 10:00 pm

Submitted by Cantigny

Sign up for a take-and-make “Thank You” flag craft program with First Division Museum at Cantigny Park in Wheaton. Courtesy of Cantigny

The First Division Museum at Cantigny Park in Wheaton invites adults, students and families to celebrate Veterans Day with at-home “virtual” programs that pay tribute to all those who served and continue to serve.

The official end of World War I occurred on Nov. 11, 1918. America has observed Nov. 11 ever since - first as Armistice Day, and since 1954 as Veterans Day. The holiday celebrates all veterans, living or dead, but especially gives thanks to those still with us today. Cantigny embraces this annual tradition.

Parking is free at Cantigny Park on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11. In addition, the following programs and activities are offered:

“They Served: Stories from Veterans” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, with a live presentation via Zoom. Register for this free program at www.fdmuseum.org/event/they-served-stories-from-veterans/.

Two veterans of the 1st Infantry Division will share the stories of their service.

Major Casey Wolfe

Major Casey Wolfe is a proud second generation Big Red One soldier. He served from 2011 to 2015, deploying with the Division to Afghanistan. His final assignment was company commander for the Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard. Currently an Army reservist, Major Wolfe serves as logistics officer for a Regional Support Group based in Kansas.

Tom Brown served as a sergeant during the Vietnam War.

Sergeant Tom Brown served with the 1st Infantry Division, 10th Calvary, from 1966 to 1968. While in Vietnam, he served as a combat infantryman and as a mortar crewman. A Purple Heart recipient, Brown today shares the story of his service with local students as a member of the First Division Museum's Speaker Bureau.

Veteran Mail Call is an at-home activity for all ages. Say “thank you” to a veteran for his or her service to our country with some words from the heart. The First Division Museum is gathering notes and letters to distribute to veterans via organizations such as One Savvy Veteran, Honor Flight Chicago, American Legion Cantigny Post 556 and local college veteran associations. Sending instructions are online at fdmuseum.org.

For a suggested donation to the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans, get a craft kit for kids to make a flag window hanging. Courtesy of Cantigny

Take-and-Make “Thank You” Flag Craft from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 7. After ordering you will pick up the kits at Cantigny parking lot 5.

Since World War I, families have hung flags in their windows with stars representing relatives serving in the military. Continue this tradition by creating a window hanging of your own with a complimentary craft kit - a simple and meaningful activity for kids and families to do at home. Flag kits are free (while supplies last). The flag craft will be available and handed out free with a suggested donation to the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans until noon or until they are gone.

In honor of Veterans Day, kids are encouraged to interview a veteran in their life, such as a parent, grandparent or neighbor. Courtesy of Cantigny

Conduct an oral history. Students are encouraged to record and preserve history by interviewing a veteran in their life, such as a parent, grandparent or neighbor. A student question guide with instructions, tips and suggested questions is available at www.fdmuseum.org/veterans-day-2020/. Ideas for sharing and supplementing an oral history interview are offered as well.

The First Division Museum is currently open Wednesday to Sunday on a reservations-only basis. Visitors can choose a morning or afternoon session by registering in advance at FDMuseum.org. Admission is free with paid parking at Cantigny ($5). Parking at Cantigny is free on Veterans Day and on the first Wednesday of every month.

For Veterans Day, kids can learn about the tradition of putting flags with stars in your window to honor relatives serving in the military. Courtesy of Cantigny

The First Division Museum, part of Robert R. McCormick Foundations, promotes public learning about America's military heritage and affairs through the history of the “Big Red One” - the famed 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. The museum's main exhibit hall, First in War, transports visitors to the trenches of World War I, the beaches of World War II and the jungles of Vietnam. Outside, tanks are displayed from every era, along with artillery pieces and a personnel carrier. The Robert R. McCormick Research Center, open to the public, houses the museum's library, archival and photo collections. In 2020, the museum introduced “Footsteps of The First,” a travel program in partnership with Academic Travel Abroad.

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