Four free events across Downers Grove and Woodridge will mark Veterans Day season, first reported by Patch.
Woodridge kicks things off on Thursday, Nov. 5, with a reception at Village Hall honoring Woodridge Memorial VFW Post 1578 and the late Bob Reichert, a Vietnam-era Air Force veteran who served the post for more than three decades. The reception runs from 6 to 6:45 p.m. The Village of Woodridge announced the event on its Facebook page.
Reichert died July 29. He enlisted in the Air Force in January 1970, trained as an air traffic controller and spent 1972 stationed in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, according to his obituary. After his honorable discharge in January 1974, he worked as an air traffic controller with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in Aurora. He served VFW Post 1578 in numerous roles and worked as the post's public relations coordinator.
Three Downers Grove events follow on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Synapse House, a nonprofit that helps people with brain injuries, strokes and other neurological conditions, will hold its first Veterans Day Pancake Breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m. at its clubhouse, 3130 Finley Rd., Suite 520, according to a Lombard Chamber listing. The breakfast is free. Organizers are asking guests to bring donated supplies such as copy paper, cleaning supplies or toilet paper.
The West Suburban Humane Society, 1901 Ogden Ave., will host a Veterans Day open house from 9 to 11 a.m. Veterans can stop in for free coffee and donuts.
A popup exhibit called "Honoring Our Heroes" runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lincoln Center, 935 Maple Ave. The exhibit will feature memorabilia related to Downers Grove's military history. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own mementos to lend to the display. The event includes a brief presentation.
The Woodridge reception on Nov. 5 is the first event on the calendar, with the three Downers Grove gatherings following on Nov. 11.
