Mike
Kara Presents...
Very Special Veteran's Day Show 2009
A Mike Kara Presents... Tradition
THANK YOU VETERANS!!!!
FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE
FOR ALL YOU DO
FOR ALL YOU WILL DO
Well since it’s November, let’s travel back to May 2009 for
The Village of Woodridge’s Memorial Day Celebration. Usually The
Woodridge Veteran’s of Foreign War’s Memorial Post 1578
puts on a silent parade and service for Memorial Day. However with the
celebration of 50th Anniversary of The Village of Woodridge and The
40th Anniversary of the Woodridge Park District, a variety of very
special events were taken place throughout the entire year of 2009. One
of those special events was to have a large full blown Memorial Day
Parade. A special committee was formed to develop special events all
year along to celebrate the anniversaries, including developing a
special Memorial Day Parade. Although not silent, the parade featured a
wide variety of bands, civic organizations, schools, boy scouts and
girls scouts, shiners, etc the full gamete. However to pay proper
respect to Memorial Day and all those very brave service men and women
who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, giving their own
life to preserve the rich freedoms We enjoy today, when the parade
passed The Woodridge Veteran’s Memorial on the corner of Janes
Avenue and center Drive, the parade then became silent. The parade
route itself was 2 miles long and started at Rt 53 and Woodridge Drive,
and went all the way to Veteran’s Memorial Park just just
Woodridge Village Hall.
However as every year, The Woodridge VFW still put on a very special
Memorial Day Service. Just a short program truly remembering those
brave men and women who fought hard for our country, paying a heafty
price, their own lives. We should never forgot how many brave men and
women gave their lives for us, so We can live in a free country,
let’s do and say what We choose.
So the service included reading by Woodridge VFW Post members, a very
nice presentation by our awesome mayor here in Woodridge, Illinois,
William F. Murphy, plus a 21 gun salute by The Woodridge Police
Department Honor Guard, as will as a wreath presentation. Also there
was a special flag folding ceremony in memory of Staff Sgt. Jeremy
Bessa.
Staff Sgt Bessa was A resident of the Village of Woodridge who was
killed in Afghanistan. Members of the Bessa
family were on the hand for Jeremy’s special tribute.
Also The Downers Grove South Marching Mustangs had performed before and
after the service, including a special tribute all branches all the
military, with the band playing each branch’s song and everyone
in the crowd stepping forward and showing pride in whatever particular
branch they served in.
So Memorial Day was extra special in The Village of Woodridge,
Illinois. God Bless America. God Bless these veterans. God Bless all
who made that ultimate sacrifice for their country and God Bless
Woodridge, Illinois, USA, Planet Earth.
Well, it’s November and of course Veteran’s Day is this
month. And I’ve got a very special event that is very appropriate
for our special Veteran’s Day Celebration.
On Tuesday June 2, 2009 at Shanahan’s Irish Food and Spirits in
Woodridge, Illinois, The Woodridge Veteran’s of Foreign Wars
Memorial Post 1578 was having their installation of officers dinner.
Every year a group of dedicated and competent Woodridge VFW members are
elected or appointed as officers of The Woodridge VFW. This
year’s officers included - Larry Gervais as Commander, Joe Kara
as Senior Vice Commander, Don Curby as Junior Vice Commander, George
Strejcek as Quartermaster, Mickey Hunt as chaplain, Bob Kolling as
Judge Advocate, Don Young as Surgeon, Randy Braasch as 3 Year Trustee,
Len Pucci as 2 year trustee, and Bert Names as 1 year trustee.
The Installation officer was Mr. George Cramer, Former National VFW
Commander if Chief.
John Sucansky was officer of the day and Master of Ceremonies was Bob
Reichert, Public Relations Director for The Woodridge VFW.
This meeting was called for the sole purpose of installling officers.
However The Woodridge VFW honored a Woodridge Police Officer of The
year, as well as a Lisle-Woodridge Fire Fighter of the year.
This year’s honors went to Woodridge Police Officer Michael
Carpenter for Woodridge VFW Police Officer of the year, and
Lisle-Woodridge Firefighter James Weaver as Woodridge VFW Fire Fighter
of The Year.
Also Mayor of Woodridge William F. Murphy gave a nice presentation as
well.
So The Woodridge VFW has it’s officers in place for another
great. For more information on The Woodridge VFW and all that they do,
please visit their very special website at
http://www.woodridgevfw.org
Well, our Veteran’s Day Special rolls on. Now I want to tell You
about a very patriotic and important event taking place in Woodridge.
On Monday June 15, 2009 at The Woodridge Park District’s Hawthorn
House in Hawthorne Woods in Woodridge, Illinois, The Woodridge Veterans
of Foreign Wars Memorial Post 1578 was having it’s annual Flag
Retirement Ceremony. After a citizen proudly flies their American Flag,
after a while it may become torn, tattered, and faded. When that
happens, an American flag must properly be retired. An American Flag
should never ever be thrown out with the trash. American Flags need to
be retired with dignity and honor. The only way to accomplish this task
is to have the flag burned in a fire.
In Woodridge, Illinois, for the past year The Woodridge VFW has been
collecting torn, tattered, faded flags that have been dropped off by
conscious minded citizens. The flags were brought to a specially
decorated retired post office box inside the Woodridge Police
Department Lobby. So citizens are able to drop off their old American
Flags 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year.
So on this day all the flags that were stored up since last Flag Day
were properly retired. First there was a special ceremony with one
flag, and then flags were first cut, with the blue being removed from
the red and white stripes. By cutting the flags they become just pieces
of material and can be tossed into the fire. Several Woodridge VFW
members could be found, as well as family and friends of Woodridge VFW
members taking part in this very special event.
For more information on The Woodridge VFW, and all the good work they
do in the community and for our beloved Country, The United States of
America, the greatest country in the world, I must add, please
visit there very special website at http://www.woodridgevfw.org
Information on proper Flag etiquette can also be found there. God Bless
America. God Bless these Veterans. God Bless The Flag. Happy
Veteran’s Day.
Hey There. I wanted to take a quick look at a special picnic and
cook-out. Every year The Woodridge Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Post
1578 and The Downers Grove Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Century Post
503 put on their summer picnic. Both posts combine their resources to
put on one awesome summer picnic. It is a very special gathering
of VFW Post 1578 and 503’ members, their families, as well
as there close friends. Amongst all The good work these two VFW posts
do in the community, they took time to smell the roses as well as the
hamburgers and put on this summer picnic which took place on Saturday
August 15, 2009 at Echo Point Park in Woodridge, Illinois. The event
included a wide awry of yummy treats such as hamburgers, hot dogs,
roasted corn dipped in hot melted butter, as well as a variety of
salads, snacks and desserts, and of course beer and soda as well. Also
the picnic included a bean bag tournament, which yours truly competed
in, as well as my Dad. Plus there was a raffles featuring several nice
prizes. A good time was had by all.
Click Here
to Watch Segment Well, let’s once again look at an awesome event
being put on by The Woodridge VFW Post 1578. On Saturday September 19,
2009 at Village Greens Golf Course in Woodridge, Illinois, The
Woodridge Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Memorial Post 1578 was
putting on their very 1st annual golf outing. Woodridge VFW members,
along with family and friends of Woodridge VFW members, as well
as members of the Community tried their hand the 18 hole golf course at
Village Greens, owned and operated by The Woodridge Park District. On a
beautiful Saturday afternoon We all enjoyed a game of golf, as well as
good fellowship. In the afternoon everyone played the simply gorgeous
18 hole course. For this game four-somes played best ball. Where
everyone hits the ball and the best shot is where everyone else takes
there shot from. After a good game of golf, guests enjoyed a good
cookout put on by Village Greens, which included hot dogs
hamburgers, brats, the werks. There was also a wide variety of raffle
prizes at this event. Guests are able to buy raffle tickets and place
them in a bowl for a particular item they would like to win. There was
also a 50/50 raffle. So it was a great time had by all.
Short segment for my November 2009 edition of Mike Kara Presents,
featuring The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall's stop in Downers Grove,
Illinois outside American Legion Post 80.
