McHenry County News FRE
E
11512 N. 2nd ST. • MACHESNEY PARK, IL 61115 • (815) 654-4850 • www.McHenrycountynewspaper.com Display Advertising & Classifieds: 815-654-4850 • Circulation: 815-654-4854 • E-mail:McHenrynews@rvpublishing.com
Volume 6 Issue 23
WOODSTOCK CAR WASH N O W
• 3 Heated Bays • Brand New Vacuums • Automatic Wash Now Open • 7’ High and Large Enough for Dually Pickup Trucks
O P E N
218 Fair Street, Woodstock, IL (Behind McDonalds)
JUNE 2, 2016
239731
Memorial Day Veterans Display By Anne Eickstadt, Correspondent
I
Photo courtesy of Krista Coltrin, Woodstock Economic Development Coordinator
t all began with a simple question, ”Why do we celebrate Memorial Day?” If you ask Vietnam veteran Butch Borchardt, things start to happen. Krista Coltrin, Economic Development Coordinator of Woodstock, calls it, “A really exciting collaboration.” Borchardt and Coltrin had a discussion regarding Memorial Day in Woodstock. Then Coltrin sent out an email to Woodstock business owners. “City Hall is fantastic!” Borchardt says. “Within an hour of their email, people were calling, ‘We want to help! We want to help!’” That first hour brought in five phone calls and then word of mouth brought interest from more businesses and more veterans.
}Memorial Day is about remembering the dead, particularly veterans. It is about honoring the veterans that fought beside us. If what we are doing is educating the public, then it is worthwhile. It is an honor for me to honor them.”
— Butch Borchardt
Members of Woodstock’s VFW Post 5040 are loaning their uniforms and military memorabilia for a two week long Memorial Day display. “The purpose is to bring to light the stories of local veterans. To show our gratitude to veterans for what they have done.” “Memorial Day is about remembering the dead, particularly veterans. It is about honoring the veterans that fought beside us,” Borchardt says. “If what we are doing is educating the public, then it is worthwhile. It is an honor for me to honor them.” Krista Coltrin says, “I’m tickled about how it has all come together. The intention is to display their stories and memorabilia for a week before and after Memorial Day, depending
Local veterans help put up the display of military memorabilia for Memorial Day. From left to right: Joe Kirsten, Army, Vietnam; Wes Woodall, Marines, Vietnam; Bill Lyford, Army, World War II, Barry Mishler, Army, Vietnam; Butch Borchardt, Army, Vietnam and Jaqueline, Marines, Afghanistan.
on the store and the veteran. There are at least eleven decorated windows on and around the historic Woodstock Square, showcasing veterans – both men and women – from World War II to the present.” Barry Mishler is one of the veterans participating. His story and memorabilia are in the window of ‘Down 2 Earth’ on the Square. “It’s quite an honor to be in the window,” he tells me. “Those people that didn’t help this year will wish they had. It’s a huge project and will be even bigger next year. Next year, I will be helping him [Borchardt] out. I’m excited about doing it.”
As you shop in Woodstock, keep an eye out for the veteran displays and read their stories. The tales of local men and women who answered their country’s call to service. Seek out veterans and thank them for putting their lives on the line to keep us safe. As likely as not, their humble response will be along the lines of, “It was my honor and privilege to serve.” Here is a little more information about Memorial Day: “Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and was initiated to honor the soldiers for the Union and Confederate armies who died during the American Civil
War. Celebrations honoring Civil War heroes started the year after the war ended. The establishment of a public holiday was meant to unify the celebration as a national day of remembrance instead of a holiday celebrated separately by the Union and Confederate states.” “The holiday became known as Memorial Day and was expanded to include the deceased veterans of all the wars fought by American forces. In 1971, Memorial Day became a federal holiday.” Further information about Memorial Day can be found online at www. publicholidays.us/memorial-day.
Inaugural Bernotas Viking Strong raises over $8K By Samantha Fetzner Reporter
After announcing the inaugural Bernotas Viking Strong 5K race, no one knew how much money would be raised for the cause. Richard F Bernotas Middle School in Crystal Lake was attempting to raise funds for the National Alliance of Mental Illness and help combat the rising suicide rates in our area. The race took place at Lippold Park on May 1. The 5K run/
walk was geared toward the whole community, with special concessions on registration fees for Bernotas students to help encourage participation. Tagged with the line “Break the Silence”, the event wound up raising $8,210 for the NAMI. The donations were procured by over 400 participants who ran or walked during the event. Students were charged a flat $5 registration fee while other participants’ fees varied from $25
to $50 depending on age and sign up date. The event began at 8 a.m. and did not end until the last participant crossed the finish line. By focusing on the NAMI and the concept of suicide, the school and community were able to rally together to help eliminate a growing struggle amongst teens and young adults. The stigma surrounding suicide presents a unique challenge when discussing it
in a public forum. By holding such an event, the school was able to acknowledge the trouble and help work toward finding a solution. A student from Bernotas had committed suicide in the previous year. Students were able to speak to staff and counselors, but the 5K event was the first large group function derived from the tragedy. In addition to the 400 plus participants in the 5K itself,
there were also numerous volunteers providing their time and energy to coordinate the event. Nearly 25 organizations helped by providing donations in other ways, such as food and beverages or sponsorship for the event itself. The community really rallied together with the school to make this such a success. District 47, which Bernotas is a part of, intends to host another Viking Strong 5K in the future.