Retired Marine from Palatine keeps Vet Fest cooking

Roland Paul is getting a little breather these days before resuming his volunteer work in earnest for a longtime suburban fundraiser benefiting veterans.

Paul, a Palatine resident who served in the Marine Corps, and his fellow Vet Fest volunteers wrapped up the 14th annual fundraiser in November at JL's Pizza and Sports Bar in downtown Palatine. The day included a barbecue, raffles and auctions.

Proceeds generated from Vet Fest purchase comfort items and recreational goods for veterans at Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago. Paul said he likes watching the event's guests enjoy themselves while knowing they are contributing to a good cause.

“I'm happily outside manning the grill for the entire event,” Paul said. “It gets cold. It gets wet.”

The 63-year-old's contributions to Vet Fest go well beyond working the grill.

Paul, who served in the Marines from 1975 to 1981, has been on the event's volunteer board since the nonprofit organization's inception. And in January, he'll begin the annual task of trying to land sponsors and donors for the 2019 Vet Fest.

The fundraising efforts, which now include summer and fall golf outings, has grown significantly over the years. The inaugural Vet Fest raised about $4,000, while last year's raked in about $24,000 for the cause, Paul said.

Paul is driven by a sense of brotherhood with all military branches and believes it's important to do as much as possible for veterans in need. That's why he devotes so much time to Vet Fest.

“I didn't have to sacrifice as much as some people did,” Paul says of his fellow veterans.

• Do you know of veterans helping other veterans, doing good things for their community or who have an interesting story to tell? Share your story at veterans@dailyherald.com.