|
|
For more information,
to donate or volunteer visit our website:
333 S. Wabash
16th Floor
Chicago IL, 60604
(312) 822-6699
|
|
|
|
The USO of Illinois
annually
serves over 330,000 service members and their families at 5 USO Centers and through hundreds of programs and services.
|
|
|
|
Thank you to everyone who supported the USO of Illinois during our 75th Anniversary in 2016! Without our donors, partners, Board, and volunteers we could not have had such a successful year serving our local military and military families. We would like to share with you a quick recap of some of our amazing partnerships, programs and events from the past few months.
|
USO Star-Spangled Salute Gala Raises Over $1.58 Million for Local Military and their Families
|
 On October 22nd, the USO of Illinois hosted its annual Star-Spangled Salute Gala in the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier. Over 850 guests attended to honor and support those who bravely serve our nation. The event raised approximately $1,580,000 million that will go to fund USO of Illinois programs and services dedicated to supporting the lives of our nation's military and their families.
The USO Salute to Leadership Award was given to the Pritzker Military Museum and Library (PMML). Major General James H. Mukoyama, Jr., USA (Ret.) accepted the Award on behalf of PMML. Pritzker Military Museum & Library supported USO of Illinois in a myriad of ways throughout the year, including as the Host Sponsor of the 2016 USO Star-Spangled Salute Gala and partner in delivering the U-505 Naval History Program. The U-505 Naval History program partners the Pritzker Military Museum & Library, the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) and the USO of Illinois to provide a unique "History and Heritage" training for newly selected Chief Petty Officers serving at Navy Station Great Lakes.
 Mr. Robin Williams was awarded the 'USO Angel Harvey Heart of a Patriot Award' for his years of dedication to our military and the many USO entertainment tours at which he performed. Susan Williams, his loving wife, accepted the award on his behalf. In 2002, Williams was among the first group of entertainers to travel to Afghanistan and Southwest Asia with the USO. After the trip, he was a regular on the USO circuit, where he traveled to 13 countries and performed for approximately 89,400 troops over more than a decade before his death in 2014.
Special Guests for the night included Medal of Honor Recipients Captain Florent "Flo" Groberg, USA (Ret.); Colonel Harvey C. "Barney" Barnum Jr., USMC (Ret.); and Captain Thomas G. Kelley, USN (Ret.). Also in attendance was General Carter Ham, USA (Ret.), the President and CEO of the Association of the United States Army; and Master Sgt. Gerrold "Jay" Johnson, USA (Ret.) who served as Master of Ceremonies for the evening.
 Silent auction donations from the Chicago Blackhawks, SeaDream Cruises, LuxurySlovenia.eu, Excelsior Hotel Gallia, Direct Travel Luxe, IC Bellagio, Exeter International, Emirates Airlines, Celebrity Cruises, Stern Pinball, James & Williams Jewelers, York Furrier and many more ensured revenues to help support the USO of Illinois programs and services.
To view photos from the event please visit:
http://www.ricksanchezphotography.com/USO-of-Illinois-Annual-Gala-
The USO of Illinois would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of those who attended the 2016 USO Star-Spangled Salute Gala, as well as our donors and volunteers who make this event possible ever year.
|
Local Family Supports Veterans Day through
USO O'Hare Donation
|
Anne Elliot likes to instill a sense of community and philanthropy in her four children; Grant, Harry, Avery and Robert; ages 2 - 9 years old. On Veterans Day, November 11th, Anne and her children visited the USO O'Hare Airport Terminal 2 Center to drop off delicious Jimmy John's sandwiches for service members using the facility.
"We live a very comfortable life and I like to take every opportunity to get my kids involved in service projects in our local community," said Anne. "When we walked into the center, I was amazed. There were these young sailors who had just graduated from boot camp, not much older than my kids, getting ready to go to their next duty post. I told my kids these amazing men and women are the real super heroes."
|
USO Great Lakes Serves Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner
|
 For over a decade, USO Great Lakes has been feeding service members and their families at a special Thanksgiving Meal. With two seatings available, USO Great Lakes opened its doors to over 685 service members and their families this Thanksgiving. Military attending the USO Thanksgiving Feast were treated to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings, catered by Real Urban BBQ of Highland Park. The smiling faces of USO of Illinois volunteers, staff, Board Members, and donors greeted and served the attendees.
"During this milestone 75th year, we feel it is important to remember our service members and their families during the holiday season," said Alison Ruble, President and CEO of USO of Illinois. "Our annual USO Thanksgiving Feast at Naval Station Great Lakes is a time-honored tradition stretching back to a partnership with MWR Great Lakes. Without the support of the community, volunteers and donors, we would not be able to express our gratitude for the service and sacrifices of our U.S. Armed Forces."
The USO of Illinois would like to thank all of those who helped to make this festive Thanksgiving meal possible including our donors, staff, Board Members, and volunteers. We would also like to extend a salute to the Richard A. Perritt Charitable Foundation who provides the funds for the program.
|
USO Rock Island - Serves the Community in the Quad Cities
|
 In September of 2011, the USO of Illinois opened its newest center, USO Rock Island. The facility is positioned to support a vibrant military community in the Quad-Cities area, where there are over 50,000 military and military family members within a 150-mile radius. The center at Rock Island continues to grow and expand in the Quad-Cities area with new partnerships each year. A staple of USO Rock Island since 2014 is their Frank'n Fridays, a weekly all-American meal with hotdogs, salads, chips and more that supports 60 to 70 families each week. On Monday, September 19th, USO Rock Island opened its doors to service members and community leaders to
 celebrate the 5th anniversary of the center. USO Rock Island has been vital to serving communities outside the Chicagoland area with new specialty programs such as Geo-Bachelor/Bachelorette Night and Military Spouse Night. In 2015, the center served over 8,300 military members.
Thank you to everyone who has helped to make the USO Rock Island the great center it is today!
|
Home for the Holidays Programming
|
 During the Month of December, citizens and soldiers alike gather with their friends and families to celebrate the holidays. The USO of Illinois received numerous generous gifts from our partners at BMO Harris Bank, the Richard A. Perritt Charitable Foundation, Constellation Brands and the Chicago Skyway to help create memorable experiences for military and their families. The support went to fund Military Unit Holiday Parties and the USO of Illinois Holiday Gift Card program.
Across the state, military attend Military Unit Holiday Parties to bond in a social setting. These parties are often funded from the members of the unit themselves. This year, Constellation Brands helped make these parties a festive occasion with a $15,000 donation to the USO of Illinois that was distributed to fund 66 unit holiday parties.
 Often money can be tight around the holidays and the USO of Illinois is dedicated to making the lives of service members and their families easier. Our partners at Chicago Skyway, and Constellation Brands donated over $17,500 to support the USO of Illinois Holiday Gift Card Program which supported over 600 military or military family members. On top of their donation, Chicago Skyway employees also donated their time stuffing and sending gift cards and writing holiday cards to military families.
Thank you to all our partners who helped to make the holidays a little brighter for military and their families this year.
|
Boeing Supports Military Families at Home & Away
|
The HOME&AWAY campaign, now in its fifth year, highlights how the USO of Illinois and Boeing are committed to helping service members and their military families thrive. Our nation's armed forces and their families make many sacrifices to protect our freedoms. While we support their efforts at home and away, we may overlook the opportunity to say thank you, or be able to find a way to make a tangible difference. This year, Boeing and the USO of Illinois teamed up with the Chicago Blackhawks to honor 75 Veterans ranging from WWII to present day conflicts on the Ice at the November 11th Blackhawks Veterans Day game. The Chicago Blackhawks also wore special camo warm-up jersey's the day of the game that were auctioned off. All of the money from the auction will be donated to the USO of Illinois. Click here to watch the Chicago Blackhawks emotional Veterans Day game opening ceremony.
|
|
| |
|
