Navy recruits to enjoy Thanksgiving in Mount Prospect
Mount Prospect Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1337 and the American Legion Post 525 plan to host 50 Navy recruits from the Great Lakes Naval Training Center on Thanksgiving Day for the "Adopt-a-Sailor" program.
This event has been around for 23 years, but after a two-year COVID hiatus, it is returning and will be held in Mount Prospect for the first time. The posts plan to make this an annual event.
The recruits will be picked up by bus on Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 24, and arrive at the Moose Lodge, 601 N. Main St., Mount Prospect, at about 8:30 a.m. The building serves as the posts' headquarters. The day will begin with greetings from local vets and village officials, followed by breakfast treats.
About 11 a.m., the "entertainment" part of the program begins with a greeting from Korea Defence Veteran Casey Bachara, event chairman, and the commanders of Post 1337 and Post 525. Following that, a local magician has been invited to perform and a couple of post members play popular songs on their guitars and take requests.
Of course, the recruits are invited to sing along, and they usually do so enthusiastically. The entertainment always concludes with an inspiring version of "Anchors Away" sung by all of the recruits.
The turkey and trimmings will be served at about 1 p.m., followed by desserts. During the day, the sailors can watch football games on one the TVs in the room. Also, they are invited to use the phones and computers set up in banks to contact their families.
This is especially meaningful for the recruits because they are in basic training and not permitted leave time for the holiday. For many of them, this will be their first time away from home. After some heartfelt "good byes," the sailors board the buses at about 4:30 p.m. for their return to the base.
Anyone interested in making a donation to this event can send a donation by check, with Adopt-a-Sailor on the memo to line, to either: Mount Prospect VFW Post 1337, P.O. Box 24, Mount Prospect, IL 60056; or Mount Prospect American Legion Post 525, P.O. Box 173, Mount Prospect, IL 60056
For additional information about Adopt-a-Sailor, the public is encouraged to contact Casey Bachara at mcgee045@icloud.com or (847) 299-3613.
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