True Patriots Care to stage 300 U.S. flags in Wilder Park
Led by Grand Marshal John M. Wendel, retired Brigadier General and Chaplain in the United States Air Force, some 90 entries will march in Elmhurst’s 99th Annual Memorial Day Parade through downtown Elmhurst on Monday, May 29, stepping off at 9:30 a.m.
The 2017 Parade is presented by the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Elmhurst American Legion T.H.B. Post 187, Veterans of Foreign Wars Villa Park Post 2801, the City of Elmhurst and Elmhurst Park District.
After the parade, the Post-Parade Military Ceremony will be held at the Elmhurst Veterans Memorial and will feature inspirational speeches, the laying of wreaths, and a traditional Three-Round Volley. The names of Elmhurst area veterans who passed away since Veterans Day 2016 will be read aloud in remembrance, from the lists provided by area funeral homes. It is important that the families of these veterans know that they are having their parent/grandparent honored for what they have done, and to make it extra special, they may opt for personalized Marble Headstones to celebrate their family members and keep them in their thoughts always.
American Legion Post 187, with assistance from Elmhurst College’s Lamda Chi Alpha fraternity members, has placed four rows of 65 white crosses adjacent to the Veterans Memorial with the names of deceased Elmhurst veterans who served in various wars.
Organization to provide host of flags
In conjunction with Elmhurst’s 99th Memorial Day Parade, True Patriots Care will stage a patriotic display of more the 300 American flags-honoring service members from Illinois killed in action since September 11, 2001-on the Wilder Park lawn east of the Wilder Mansion from Thursday through Tuesday, May 25-30.
“Each of the flags will have the name of the soldier and short bio,” said Jerry Christopherson, president of True Patriots Care, U.S. Army veteran and York Community High School’s Administrative Director – Custodial Manager.
True Patriots Care has displayed Flags of Honor display on the south lawn of Elmhurst’s York High School for Veterans Day honoring 101 alums killed in action. Each flag had the name and war in which each soldier died in service for our country.
The Wilder Park display will be lit through each of the nights using whisper-quiet portable lighting provided by Elmhurst College.
More about True Patriots Care
Allison Wiggins, Director of Information Technology for the Elmhurst Park District, is among True Patriots Care’s Board members. True Patriots Care counts the Gary Sinise Foundation (garysinisefoundation.org) and Vets Roll (vetsroll.org) among its national partners. For more information about True Patriots Care visit(truepatriotscare.com.
The Moving Wall returns to area communities
Following Memorial Day weekend, True Patriots Care will stage “The Wall That Heals” for DeKalb County veterans in Sycamore from July 13-16, a tribute to Purple Heart recipients in Randall Oaks Park in West Dundee on August 6, a 9-11 Memorial Healing Field at the Oak Brook Polo Club fields from September 6-11 and a Vietnam Traveling Wall at Lake Park Pavilion in Des Plaines from September 28 to October 1.
