7th Annual Veterans History Project Breakfast

The Niles Public Library presented its 7th Annual Veterans History Project Breakfast on Wednesday morning, November 6, to honor the community's heroes and especially those participating in the national memoir of service program.The veterans and their guests as well as members of the community, numbering 72 in all, applauded the Legacy Girls in the breakfast finale as they performed the Andrews Sisters' Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy and other favorites from the late 30s and 40s.
 

The 24 guests of honor assembled on stage for the group picture and roll call.  

Standing in the back row from left to right are John O’Malley, Jerry Levin, Rich Hyland, Sam Schechter, Leo Madura, Russell Zapel, and Mike McNulty.  

Seated in the 2^nd row of chairs from left to right are Ken Radnitzer, John Bugajsky, Charles Matz, Robert Lavery , Kenneth Lee, Jack Weinberg, Tom Vana, and Richard Vana. 

Seated in the first row from left to right are Walter Tymczuk, Max Kolpas, Irv Abramson, Matthew Wojtaszek, Bill Shipp, Judith Carlson for Norman Berkman, Arthur Shapiro, Don Spitzer and seated on the stage is Bernard Warchol.  

This year's official picture was taken by Colleen Kelly, the Graphic Design Coordinator of the Niles Public Library. The breakfast service was co-sponsored with the Regency Rehabilitation Center in Niles, IL and the office of its Community Outreach Coordinator, Anna Kolis.

Korean War Veterans Association, Greater Chicago Chapter

These Korean War  veterans held their annnual Christmas Party on December 9, 2012 at the White Eagle Restaurant in Niles, Illinois.



The Legacy Girls, Renee, Nancy and Janet, who performed as the Andrews Sisters, brightened the occasion  and posed with  Charles Simokaitis and Commander Joe Henmuller at the close of the festive afternoon. Their appearance was arranged by a  past Commander, Niels Larsen.

Fifth Annual Veterans History Project Breakfast Wednesday, November 2, 2011

34 veterans can be viewed in this year's official picture, taken by Sasha Vasilic, the Publicity and Graphic Design Coordinator of the Niles Library.

The veterans appearing in the picture are from left to right sitting in the first row: Gus Habighurst, Bernard Warchol, Bill Shipp, Martha Shipp, Donald Spitzer, Arthur Shapiro, Irv Blaszynski, and Mike Kozyra. In the second row from left to right are: Walter Gembala, Niels H.K. Larsen, Leonard DeFabio, Walter Tymczuk, John McCann, Matthew Wojtaszek, Max Kolpas, Judith Carlson (for Norman Berkman), Sam Schechter, and Irv Abramson. In the third row from left to right are: Robert Morris, Kenneth Radnitzer, David Shugan, Jack Weinberg, Charles Matz, Harry Webber, Jerry Levin, and Russell Zapel. In the fourth row standing from left to right are: Charles Borowsky, Robert Lavery, John Bugajsky, Chuck Jacobs, Matthew Potoczek, Mike McNulty, Rich Hyland, Marty O'Malley, Richard Vana, and Tom Vana. Present but not in the picture was Albert Dominick.

The delicious breakfast was arranged by the Library's Marketing Director, Sue Wilsey, who worked in concert with with the generous Regency Rehabilitation Center of Niles . Caryl Kiser, the Regency's Director of Marketing, and her assistant Grace Nowakowski pitched in to help serve the breakfast for the 35 veterans and their guests and 29 Niles Library patrons as 79 people in all attended the breakfast. The food and beverage service at the breakfast was coordinated by the library's Cyndi Rademacher.

Linda Weiss, the Director of the Niles Public Library, and Barbara Nakanishi, President of the Niles Library Board of Trustees, welcomed and congratulated the special guests. Mrs. Weiss announced a donation of $500 from the library and the Friends of the Library to the Honor Flight Chicago Program. Chris Hanusiak, the President of the Friends and a veterans sent his warm wishes to the day's honorees. Veterans Rich Hyland and Marty O'Malley of the Silver Helmet-winning AMVETS Post #18 spoke about the AMVETS work to establish the Honor Flight in Chicago. The Legacy Girls as the Andrews Sisters provided the knock-out entertainment to conclude the successful event.

Mr. Vasilic's post of the "5th Annual Veterans Breakfast" to TribLocal was selected to lead Niles's local coverage.