For the thirteenth consecutive year, officers and members from the District Anna Hurban of Chicago met on Saturday, April 27, 2019, for its Join Hands Day event at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital. Nineteen District members, including District and Branch Officers, spent the afternoon with thirty-four of the one-hundred-seven resident veterans playing forty-three very serious games of bingo where the vets had the chance to win some of the $1,000 in commissary coupons available as prizes. The District provided $500 toward the commissary coupons with the District Branches contributing an additional $500.
To make the playing field fair, each of the vets who arrived to play bingo received an initial gift of $5 in coupons along with an FCSLA drawstring bag. The branches also donated toiletries for packets that will be put together to be passed out to all the residents in the unit. Once again the event was a huge success with the vets truly enjoying their visit with us and looking forward to next year’s visit.
The VA Hospital is located in Maywood, IL, and is the largest of the Chicago-area Veterans’ Hospitals. It is well known for its many programs and specialties, including blind rehabilitation, spinal cord injury, neurosurgery, radiation therapy, cardiovascular surgery, and it serves as a Polytrauma Center for severely injured veterans with skilled medical professionals who treat patients with traumatic brain injuries.
As always, the afternoon was filled with lots of laughter and fun, and everyone in attendance from the District agreed that it was just a small way of showing these vets how grateful we all are to them for the sacrifices they have made to ensure our American freedom!
To view photos from this event, visit the Photo Gallery on the Chicago District Web site.
