Veteran’s Appreciation Day celebration in Alsip showcases American pride and unity

ALSIP, Ill. — Ahead of Veteran's Day, American pride is already on display at the Worth Township headquarters in the heart of southwest suburban Alsip.

Music, dancing, laughter, and lunch: It's the annual Veterans Appreciation Day, where no political divisions exist, only solidarity for the red, white, and blue.

Don Hall has served in the Army, the Army reserves and military police at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. While he never saw combat, he said he appreciates those who did.

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"I was trained at Ft. Polk, Louisiana (now known as Fort Johnson)," Hall said. "That was an unbelievable place to be trained. That was six months of active duty. So, I paid my dues. But some of these guys paid a lot more dues than I did, and it's great to be around them, too."

Among those celebrating Thursday were Korean War veterans and younger ex-service members, like Gerald Enriquez, who is in his early 40s.

"I served in the Army National Guard from March 2000 to March 2021," Enriquez told WGN News. "I was active Guard Reserve, so I was a full-timer with the Army National Guard."

Enriquez saw combat in Afghanistan and also said he's glad to see discussions surrounding mental health now more than ever. When he started in the early 2000s, Enriquez reveals it was a 'Suck it up, Chuck' mentality.

"That's how it started out when I first joined and then slowly, as the war progressed, almost everybody was having some form of mental health issues. Now, it's more common to open up and talk through," he said.

Patricia Joan Murphy's military roots run deep in her veins. Her father and brother both served in the Air Force. That's why she believes the annual local gathering recognizing veterans is one of the more critical constituent services the Township can provide.

"It just feels my heart. That's why when I get up on the microphone, I get choked up pretty much every year," she said. "But they don't care. They just know that we're here. They know it's from our hearts. They know that we really care about them."

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Beginning next month, Worth Township will begin hosting a veteran's coffee talk once a month. At this talk, people can express their feelings about things that are making them happy, sad, or anywhere in between.