Book project teams Vietnam vets, St. Viator students

Suburban Vietnam veterans could have their stories published in a new book being created through a collaboration between St. Viator High School and Peoples’ Bank of Arlington Heights.

The book, “Welcome Home,” will be the third in a series put out by Peoples’ Bank focusing on local war veterans, said project coordinator Jim Mitchell. The project also has published books focusing on local World War II and Korean War veterans.

Mitchell said he is looking to get about 40 Vietnam veterans involved over the next few weeks. Each will be paired with a St. Viator student for interviews. At the end of the project, each student will write one chapter of the book.

A few hundred copies of the book will be printed and distributed to everyone involved, as well as to libraries and locations around Arlington Heights, Mitchell said.

The students are taking part in the project on a volunteer basis, not for a classroom grade, Mitchell said.

“This lets them do something different outside of the classroom that brings together community service and education,” he said. “The relationship between the student and the veteran has been extraordinary with this project in the past.” For the veterans, sharing their stories with a new generation can be both informative and healing, he said.

Interested veterans can reach Mitchell at (847) 749-1096 or jim.mitchell2@comcast.net.