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Business & Tech

Two events to help Veterans and Troops

On September 15, 2012, the New Lenox VFW Post 9545, located at 323 Old Hickory Road in New Lenox Illinois, is hosting back-to-back fundraisers to aid two outstanding organizations that serve our Veterans and Troops. The public is invited to show a patriotic groundswell of support to the Disabled American Veterans Will County Chapter 103 and Operation Care Package in a full day of food, entertainment, games, prizes, and appreciation for their service and sacrifice. Both events will be held indoors if there is inclement weather.

Starting at 11am, the VFW kicks off the day with a pig roast for the Disabled American Veterans (Will County Chapter 103). The cost is $20 per person, and children 12 and under eat free. Advanced tickets are available at the New Lenox VFW and your ticket purchase enters you for a chance to win cash prizes of $25, $50, and $100. Food will be served around noon, and your donation includes the pig roast, hot dogs, brats, pop and keg beer.  A raffle will be held for a variety of items, including two camping chairs, two Coleman tabletop stoves, and a set of Ladies’ golf clubs.  A mystery box prize is also planned. A DJ will provide music from 12pm to 3pm, and guests can enjoy playing horseshoes and bags throughout the event.

Starting at 3pm, we will be having a fundraiser for Operation Care Package. Operation Care Package sends items such as batteries, coffee, beef sticks, soup, peanut butter and jelly, crackers, cookies, foot powder, lip balm, and other requested items to our Troops all over the world. The fundraising event will feature:

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VIDEO GREETING TO OUR TROOPS - 3PM TO 6PMHANDICAP ACCESSIBLE RECORDINGS FROM 3PM TO 4PM

Wild West Productions (www.wildwestonlineproducti​ons.com) and Family Back Stories (www.familybackstories.com), both located in New Lenox, will be coming out and setting up their equipment for you to leave a video greeting to our Troops. There will be no charge to leave a 1 to 2 minute greeting, and groups and businesses are encouraged to come out and leave a message of support. An example greeting would be ‘We want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas. Thank you for your service to our country, from all of us at the New Lenox VFW in New Lenox, Illinois.”  Our goal is to have these greetings burned to 100 DVD’s and sent to our Troops via Operation Care Package. We will need help covering the cost of the DVD’s, so please consider chipping in a few dollars when you record a greeting. DVD sponsors are most welcome.

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PINWHEEL PULL SPONSORED
BY: DOLLAR STOP, INC.

We will be having a Pinwheel Pull starting at 4pm. We have 500 pinwheels for you to choose from, and the winning pinwheels will have a special mark on the end of the stick. Anyone who pulls a pinwheel that is marked will win a prize.  Cost is $3 a pull or 4 pulls for $10. All proceeds from the pinwheel pull goes to Operation Care Package. The Dollar Stop will also have a table set up so you can purchase items for our Troops to send through Operation Care Package for only a $1, and several items for sale to help keep your kids entertained.

Operation Freedom will be offering a prayer package for purchase to send to our Troops through Operation Care Package that includes one cover card, one message card, and a variety of supportive and uplifting Bible verses, all contained in a heavy plastic sleeve. Free postcards will be available for you or your child to fill out to leave a greeting or well wishes to one of our Troops.  For more information on how you can help year round please visit www.operationfreedominc.co​m.

The VFW FAMILY PICNIC

The New Lenox VFW will be grilling up hamburgers and hot dogs, and serving up side dishes from 4pm to 6pm. You can enjoy a tasty and affordable dinner along Hickory Creek on one of the many picnic tables there, or you can bring a blanket for an old-fashioned picnic experience with the kids. 

MAIN ATTRACTION: THE REPRIEVE BLUES BAND

Playing from 5pm to 9pm, the band will entertain you with a variety of blues and rock from Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Grover Washington Jr., and Etta James.  There is NO COVER to see the band, but we do ask that you consider ‘Donating for a Door Prize’. Bring in an item from the ‘wish list’ below, and receive 1 (one) free ticket to be entered into our door prize drawing.

WISH LIST: Coffee - Any Size Singles To Cans, Jerky Or Slim Jims, Canned Chili- Soup - Raviolis, Canned Tuna – Chicken – Spam –Salmon, Hot Chocolate Packets, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Body Wash, Shampoo, Disp. Razors, Shave Cream, Chapstick, Lotion, Wet Wipes, Any Type Of Small Gifts- DVD's, CD's, Hand Held Games

Another way to help is by covering the cost of the care packages. For just $12.95, you can help pay to
ship one care package. With a $25 donation, you can sponsor one care package, and include a letter of greetings and well wishes to be included in the care package. You can make checks payable to Operation Care Package and drop it off at the Operation Care Package tent between 3pm and 7pm or visit their web site at www.operationcarepackages.org.

We look forward to your attendance and God Bless America!

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