9,000 Illinois veterans remembered by Legionnaires

Although the holiday season has passed, I wanted to share a heartfelt story of how our American Legion members are comforting veterans who are often forgotten about during the holiday season.

Nearly 9,000 Illinois veterans who are either homebound, in VA hospitals or nursing homes received a special gift and visit over the holidays from local American Legion members.

The American Legion Department of Illinois’ annual Gifts to the Yanks program has made it possible for Legion members to act like Santa’s elves for the past 71 years and hand deliver fleece blankets and cardigans, sweat suits and gift bags filled with everyday necessities to the veterans.

"When I give a gift to a veteran, it’s a good feeling," said Ron Umdenstock, chairman of the Gifts to the Yanks program and a member of Post 1115 in Spring Bay, Ill. "Then when I get thank you letters in the mail, I get tears in my eyes. You can’t believe how many veterans out there don’t have anybody visit them or receive a gift."

The program originated in 1942 when Chicago resident Blanch Osborn wrote a newspaper article called "Friends of the Yanks," in which she solicited funds for gifts to disabled veterans. Two years later, she contacted the Department of Illinois to take over the program and Gifts to the Yanks was born. Umdenstock, who has been involved with the program for 27 years, said the program wouldn’t happen without the many Legion Family members who raise funds, wrap the gifts and deliver them. Illinois Legion posts raise more than $150,000 every year for the program, which goes directly toward purchasing gifts the following holiday season for the veterans. Umdenstock said about $170,000 was spent on Christmas gifts for 2015.

And there’s a competition amongst the post to raise the most in monetary donations.

Legion Post 1084 in Roselle has been the top fundraiser for the past decade, raising more than $10,000 yearly. Post 1084 chaplain Gene Mikulecky raised $1,000 for the cause this past year in only three days.

The 84-year-old Army veteran stood outside a Jewel-Osco store for two days and collected $720.25 for the cause. Wanting to reach $1,000, Mikulecky braved the cold weather on Veterans Day and stood outside a Walgreens for five hours, hoping to collect $280. He had his donations counted at a local bank and discovered he raised $279.69. Only 31 cents short, Mikulecky reached into his pocket and pulled out the correct change to make it an even $280.

"I was so pleased and proud of myself for sticking it out in that cold weather," he said. "It’s a good feeling to support our veterans. We start up a conversation and try to make them feel good that someone is thinking about them."

Students at Lake Park High School in Roselle also support Gifts to the Yanks by collecting donations at train stations. Post 1084 provides the students with vests that indicate they are volunteers and a Legionnaire always accompanies them to let possible donors know what Gifts to the Yanks is about. Last year, the students raised $3,000 for the program.

"It really gets emotional sometimes when you see what you’re doing is well worth it," Umdenstock said of the visits to veterans in nursing homes and VA hospitals.