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USO SENDS RELIEF TO HAITI AND ABROAD ‘SWEET HOME CHICAGO’ CARE PACAKGES BOUND FOR DEPLOYED TROOPS
WHAT: The USO of Illinois and the Illinois Lottery bring the Clarendon Hills and Hinsdale communities together to support deployed troops with a USO Sweet Home Chicago Care Package Day hosted at Scapa’s Italian Kitchen of Clarendon Hills, Illinois. The event will feature the community-in-action as USO Volunteers pack and prepare 100 jumbo-sized, hometown-themed “USO Sweet Home Chicago Care Packages” that will be shipped to over 1,500 service members serving in Haiti, Iraq and Afghanistan. The special USO of Illinois care package program offers perpetual care and support to troops in need, no matter the season and is made possible, in part, by Illinois Lottery players’ purchase and redemption of the Veterans’ Cash “Stars and Stripes” scratch-off ticket. Funds from this ticket will also cover shipping costs for the packages and Chicago sports team merchandise that will give each package its special touch of ‘Sweet Home Chicago.’ In addition, generous donations have been received from State Representatives Patricia R. Bellock, 47th District, and Randy Ramey, 55th District and their constituents, who actively took up care package collections in their communities to provide a ready supply of games, snacks, health and comfort items, books, magazines and electronics. Local businesses, The UPS Store of Hinsdale and KI2 Ink Graphics, will generously donate packing supplies for the special day.
WHEN: Tuesday, February 2, 2010 – 4:00 – 7:00PM
WHERE: Scapa’s Italian Kitchen, 1 Walker Ave., Clarendon Hills, Illinois
WHY: In a 69-year USO tradition of “Serving Those Who Serve,” the USO of Illinois annually touches the lives of over 275,000 active duty military and their families with programs and services that promote morale, welfare and provide recreational opportunities. The USO of Illinois is powered over 300 volunteers giving almost 20,000 hours of service and is a civilian, non-profit organization serving the needs of the military community since 1941 through the generosity of the American People.
USO to Offer 24-Hour Weekend Support for Homebound Troops, Welcome Home for Marines and Holiday Carolers in the Airport for Military’s Holiday Mass Exodus
WHAT: The USO of Illinois will offer food, shelter, travel assistance and all the comforts of home to thousands of Troops making their way home for the Holidays during the U. S. Armed Forces annual Holiday Mass Exodus. USO airport centers: USO O’Hare and USO Midway will stay open 24 hours a day beginning Thursday, December 18 through Sunday December 20th. On Friday, December 18th, USO Holiday Carolers will be singing inside the airport terminal next to a USO table offering "Airside Support" for traveling Troops and their families. On Saturday, December 19th at O’Hare airport, the USO will give a heroes welcome home in the terminal to 32 U.S. Marines.
WHEN:
USO Mass Exodus Support 24 HOURS: Friday, Dec. 18 through Sunday, Dec. 20;
USO Holiday Carolers sing 10am -1pm, Friday Dec. 18 at O’Hare Airport
USO Welcomes Home 32 U.S. Marines on Saturday, Dec. 19: 9AM; 3PM; 7PM
WHERE: USO Center at O’Hare Airport, Terminal 2 above Northwest Ticket Counter Mezzanine Level
and various O’Hare Airport terminals
WHY: Serving our nation in uniform are over 2.4 million active duty, guard and reserve men and women. Our military personnel and their families face unique and tremendous challenges: frequent transfers, long deployments causing separation from friends and family, being a stranger in a new place, rigorous training and danger.
The USO of Illinois helps make their travels home to loved ones during the Holidays more pleasant, offering a warm respite during travel layovers and extended waits. During the Holidys the USO of Illinois is needed more than ever.
WHO: The USO of Illinois touches the lives of over 280,000 active duty, guard and reserve military and their families, with over 300 volunteers giving almost 20,000 hours of service. Since its founding in 1941, the USO has served as a private, civilian 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, powered by its many loyal volunteers and operating solely on the generosity of the American people, receiving no direct government funding.
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USO and AT&T Help Troops Stay Connected to Home on Thanksgiving Day and throughout the Holiday Season
WHAT: On Thanksgiving, 100 Naval Recruits will receive warm "home away from home"care when they're served a Thanksgiving feast at the Museum of Science and Industry by the USO of Illinois and given the opportunity to call home with prepaid phone cards, donated by AT&T Illinois. After enjoying a Thanksgiving feast served by USO volunteers, service members will be able to call home to family members from a phone bank using the AT&T calling cards. Recruits will then tour the Museum, with a special visit to the U505 exhibit.
"AT&T recognizes and honors the tremendous sacrifice these brave men and women make in serving our country as well as the sacrifice their families make as they are separated from those they love, especially during the olidays,"said Paul La Schiazza, President, AT&T Illinois. "This Thanksgiving, our company's donation of phone cards to the USO of Illinois will help U.S. military families connect to their loved ones across the country or across the world. On behalf of our 20,000 employees in Illinois, we give thanks for these soldiers and their families for their bravery and sacrifice."
Joined by Oscar-nominated actor and USO of Illinois Goodwill Ambassador, Gary Sinise, AT&T Illinois made the donation of 500 prepaid phone cards at the 2009 USO of Illinois Gala in the name of U.S. military families – both military in active duty and family members with loved ones serving our country. The cards will be used on Thanksgiving day and throughout the holiday season and even sent overseas, as the USO distributes them to troops in need stateside, and stuffs them into USO Sweet Home Chicago Holiday Care Packages bound for troops serving overseas during the holidays.
“This is just another example of the amazing partnership that the USO of Illinois has with AT&T. For over 7 years, AT&T has donated prepaid calling cards to the USO and it’s just another way they help the USO bring a touch of home to those who serve our country,” said Tony Enrietto, President & COO, USO of Illinois.
WHEN: Thursday, November 26, 2009 – 11:30am – 1:30pm
WHERE: Museum of Science & Industry, 57th Street and Lakeshore Drive, Chicago
The USO of Illinois touches the lives of over 250,000 active duty military and their families, with programs and services that promote morale and welfare and provide recreational opportunities. The USO of Illinois is powered over 300 volunteers giving almost 20,000 hours of service and is a civilian, non-profit organization serving the needs of the military community since 1941 through the generosity of the American People.
For more than 87 years, AT&T has remained dedicated to supporting active military personnel, their families and veterans through charitable contributions, sponsorships, the hiring of military veterans and maintaining policies that support reservists who are called to duty.
Chicago Blackhawks Historic Camo-Jersey Auction a Huge Success On-line Auction Raises Thousands to Support Illinois Troops
On Veterans Day, November 11, 2009, Chicago Blackhawks players wore special camouflage jerseys during their warm ups for the first time ever in franchise history before as part of the Blackhawks/Boeing "Salute to the Military" Veterans Day Game event, which honored our nation’s Veterans and all active-duty, guard and reserve military and their families. Each one of a kind, player-autographed camo-jersey was then assigned to an on-line auction, hosted on the Chicago Blackhawks website and benefitting the USO of Illinois, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that supports Illinois troops and their families. By close of the auction on November 18, over $45,000 had been amassed for the USO, who gratefully accepted the donation that will be devoted to supporting over 25 USO programs and services that annually serve over 250,000 Illinois service members and their families. In addition to the camo-jersey auction, Boeing, the Chicago Blackhawks and Blackhawks fans donated nearly 300 seats to military for the game.
Since its founding in 1941, the USO has served as a private, civilian 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, powered by its many loyal volunteers and operating solely on the generosity of the American people, receiving no direct government funding.
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USO of Illinois Star-Spangled Salute Gala Welcomes Gary Sinise, Karri Turner, Miss USA® 2009 Kristen Dalton and Comedian Ahmed Ahmed in a Night to Honor Our Nation’s Military Heroes
Date: Sept 2009
WHAT: In a twenty-seven year tradition, the USO of Illinois will host its annual USO Salute to the Troops Gala, Chicago’s premier patriotic event, featuring a star-studded evening of entertainment and dazzling military pageantry, all in honor and support of the men, women and families of the U.S. Armed Forces. Chicago’s very own and CSI NY’s Gary Sinise will perform with his Lt. Dan Band, star of the CBS series “J.A.G.” and veteran of numerous USO Show Tours, Karri Turner, will receive the USO’s Heart of a Patriot Award. The evening will also feature a special appearance by Miss USA® 2009, Kristen Dalton and Master of Ceremonies, Ahmed Ahmed, star of Comedy Central and member of the “Axis of Evil Comedy Tour.”
WHY: For over 68 years, the USO has been the vital link between the citizens of our communities and the military personnel wearing the cloth of this nation. Proceeds from the evening help the USO of Illinois provide care and comfort to Troops and their families and help support four Chicagoland USO Center facilities and more than 1,000 programs and services that the USO of Illinois offers annually to over 200,000 Illinois military personnel and their families.
WHERE: Navy Pier’s Grand Ballroom, Chicago
WHEN: Saturday, October 17, 2009
6:00 PM- Red Carpet Reception
7:00pm Dinner & Evening Program
9:30pm Celebrity Entertainment
WHO: Since its founding in 1941, the USO has served as a private, civilian 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, powered by its many loyal volunteers and operating solely on the generosity of the American people, receiving no direct government funding.
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