For the seventh year in a row, a handful of members from the Chicago District met on Saturday, May 4, 2013 for its Join Hands Day event at the Edward Hines, Jr., VA Hospital.
Nineteen of the District members spent the afternoon with thirty of the resident veterans playing twenty-six serious games of bingo where the vets had the chance to win some of the $500 in commissary coupons available as prizes.
To make the playing field fair, each of the vets received an initial gift of $5 in coupons along with one of the “go green” FCSLA bags. Each of the vets also received a homemade thank you card from individual 4th grade students of Chateaux Elementary School (Hinsdale, IL) taught by Helen Bendik Grygus, S274 Vice-President. The last two games of bingo for the afternoon were “cover your card”. In the first game of “cover your card”, the sole winner received $20 in coupons with the second “cover your card” game prize winner netting $30 in coupons. District President Mary Therese Tylus stated, “The vets truly enjoyed our visit and when asked if we should come back again, the reply was ‘Yes – how about next weekend?’”.
This VA Hospital located in Maywood, Illinois is the largest of the Chicago-area Veterans’ Hospitals, well known for its many programs and specialties including: blind rehabilitation, spinal cord injury, neurosurgery, radiation therapy, cardiovascular surgery, and serves as a Polytrauma Center for severely injured veterans with skilled medical professionals who treat patients with traumatic brain injuries.
Once again, the afternoon filled with lots of laughter and fun, and all the members in attendance 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!
Make sure to check out the Chicago District Photo Gallery to view photos from this event!
