At the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month, veterans have been honored for 20 years at Marian Village, a senior living community in Homer Glen.
One of the residents attending this year was Donald Hockemeyer. The Vietnam-era veteran along with other veterans were honored during a ceremony Thursday.
“Attending this ceremony today means that I’m a soldier for life” said Hockemeyer. “It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done, serve my country.”
He served two years active duty and 28 years in the Reserves.
“I’d go back in right now if I could” Hockemeyer said. “I loved being able to help people in my military career.”
There has always been pride for country and support for veterans at Marian Village, according to Linda McCluskey, director of life enrichment, who said there are 35 veterans living at the facility.
“The list is growing, we’re getting more veterans now than ever before,” McCluskey said. “I would like to see female veterans move in here. It’s all about the veterans.”
Marian Village has American Legion Post 2011 in-house, though outside veterans can join as well. The post helped organize the Veterans Day Ceremony.
“I appreciate a veteran’s loyalty, their faith, their passion and their humility” said McCluskey. “They don’t see what they did, they see what others did.”
The ceremony was held inside the Our Lady of Angels Chapel at Marian Village.
Each veteran was presented with a pin, placed on them by a member of the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery Color Guard.
McCluskey said the pin features a poppy and on the bottom it reads “Lest we forget.”
For McCluskey, it’s not only love for her residents but love for veterans.
“My husband is a veteran who served in peacetime as a MP in the Army,” McCluskey said. “A lot of family members served.”
She said her husband’s uncle served in Battle of the Bulge.
‘Freedom isn’t free. They gave a sacrifice that you can’t replace, we all need to remember that,” McCluskey said.
She said she noticed something looking in the eyes of veterans during the ceremony.
“Today they thought of friends that didn’t come home,” McCluskey said. “It puts things in perspective, why we’re at where we’re at, is because of a veteran. They deserve the recognition they got today. That’s why I wanted it to be about the vets.”
To join the The Pfc. Michael C. Olivieri Memorial American Legion Post 2011, contact Marian Village, 15624 Marian Drive.
Mary Compton is a freelance reporter or the Daily Southtown.
