Motorcycle Ride Benefits Wounded State Veterans (Photos)

About 500 riders turned in a steady rain to participate in Sunday's Fourth Annual Wounded Warriors Motorcycle Run that went from Mokena to Wilmington.

As a steady rain fell, Mokena's Pipefitters Local Union 597 opened its hall Sunday, Aug. 26, to host an early breakfast for about 500 riders participating in the Fourth Annual Wounded Warriors Motorcycle Run. The ride started in Mokena and ended about 30 miles south at Apprenticeship and Skills Improvement Local 150 on Arsenal Road in Wilmington The Illinois Veterans Foundation, the sponsor of the event, raised $11,000 and will distribute it Monday, Aug. 27, to 11 state veterans who had been wounded in action, said Mike Cozzi, executive director of the IVF. Jim Cornelison from the Chicago Blackhawks sang the National Anthem before the motorcycle run began. The Chicago Police bagpipers also played patriotic songs during the ceremony. Tucked…

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Ann C. Piasecki

11:31 pm on Monday, August 27, 2012

I like Rebecca's cutline: The "Wounded Warrior" bike run didn't let the rain stop their parade.   more ›

Motorcycle Ride Honors State's 'Wounded Warriors'

The Fourth Anual Wounded Warriors Motorcycle Run on Sunday, Aug. 26, starts at Pipefitters Local Union 597 in Mokena and ends in Wilmington.

Mayor's Charity Chili Party Raises Thousands for Veterans: VIDEOS

The yearly event, held Sunday at the VFW hall, benefits Wounded Warriors.

When looking into what it would take to make a chili cookoff for charity six years ago, Mokena Mayor Joe Werner discovered something—official cookoffs seemed restrictive, hypercompetitive and not much fun. "I decided to have a chili party rather than a chili cookoff," Werner said. Six years later, the Mayor's Charity Chili Party has become a Mokena tradition, raising thousands of dollars for veterans who were wounded in service. Read about last year's Charity Chili Party. One thankfully uninjured veteran who attended Sunday's party at the William F. Martin VFW Hall in Mokena was Tony Cap, 20, of Frankfort, on leave from the Air Force, where he is stationed in Alaska. "People like this enjoy coming out and letting us know they appreciate …

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Paul Dailing

6:13 pm on Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Once the money from the door, raffle and silent auction was tallied, it came to $2,500, Mayor Werner said Monday. So with the riders' donation, the chili party raised $6,400 for veterans. Not bad, eh?   more ›

Mayor Puts Chili to Work for Vets

The Mokena Mayor's Charitable Foundation donated $8,000 to veteran's causes.

One sunny, Sunday afternoon last November, Mokena Mayor Joe Werner hosted a Bear's game Chili Party at the VFW Hall on Wolf Road. Participants entered their own chilis in a tasting contest, and residents bought tickets to come out and vote for the best. Now, the event that prodded dozens of residents come out to support their favorite chili is paying off in a big way, far bigger than it ever has in the past. At Monday's village board meeting, Werner, on behalf of the Mokena Mayor's Charity Foundation, presented a check for $8,000 to the Wounded Warriors Project, a program designed to help post-9/11 veterans. All of the money donated was raised at the chili party. “I was blown away by what was happening that day,” Werner said. The donation …

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patrick markham

10:14 am on Saturday, February 19, 2011

Tip my hat again to Mayor Joe Werner! SEMPER FI! As a group of soldiers stood in formation at an Army Base, the Drill Sergeant said, "All right! All you idiots fall out." As the rest of the squad wandered away, one soldier remained at attention. The Drill Instructor walked over until he was eye-to-eye with him, and then raised a single eyebrow. The soldier smiled and said, "Sure was a lot of 'em…   more ›

Mayor's Charity Chili Party Exceeds Expectations

Mayor Joe Werner hosted Mokena's 5th annual Charity Chili Party at the VFW hall on Sunday.

The mayor paced himself. He tackled the first two with restrained gusto, and then waited … and rested … before he stepped up to face two more. It was not a political debate, or a heated village meeting, although “hot” was one word that might adequately capture the day. Mokena Mayor Joe Werner hosted his 5th annual charity chili party at the William F. Martin VFW Hall on Sunday, where the scent of several spicy, prize-winning stews wafted through the building and well onto Wolf Road. “I've been a chili fan since my mom was feeding me Hormel when I was little,” the mayor said. While the Bears played on two flat-screen TVs, guests bid for sports memorabilia and donated gift baskets at the silent auction table, purchased raffle tickets and …

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