Village of Hazel Crest Honors Veterans with Ceremony

Lee Edwards | As of Thursday, November 13, 2014

Victoria Anderson, Hazel Crest Veterans Commission Chairperson.
Victoria Anderson, Hazel Crest Veterans Commission Chairperson. Photo by Lee Edwards.

The Village of Hazel Crest’s Veteran Commission continued its long standing tradition of supporting local United States military veterans and service-members by hosting a Veterans Day program sponsored by ComEd on Nov. 8 at the Hazel Crest Municipal Center, 3000 W. 170th Place, Hazel Crest, Ill.

“Being a 10 year veteran of the U.S. Air Force myself, I think that we should always honor our veterans,” said Village of Hazel Crest Mayor Vernard Alsberry. “I want to be sure that we honor them, respect them and keep people aware of the sacrifices that we give to veterans.”

“We try to honor all veterans but what we’re primarily doing today is to make everyone aware that we still have veterans that are not being serviced and they don’t feel the appreciation so we’re doing this event today to show our appreciation,” said Victoria Anderson, chairperson, Hazel Crest Veterans Commission, U.S. Army veteran of 28 years.

According to ComEd External Affairs Manager, Bonita Parker, a six year Army Reserve veteran, ComEd has long been a supporter of U.S. military veterans and makes an effort to maintain an employment base of at least 12% of veterans.

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Photo by: Lee Edwards

Villageof Hazel Crest Mayor Vernard Alsberry, a 10 year U.S. Air Force veteran, offered his remarks at the Village of Hazel Crest’s Veteran Commission's Veterans Day program on Nov. 8 at the Hazel Crest Municipal Center, 3000 W. 170th Place, Hazel Crest, Ill.

“Veterans Day is always a humbling day; it reminds me of the sacrifice we have all made,” said Parker. “I take great pride in serving my country certainly as an African American female because it’s not something that’s very popular to African American females so I take great pride in having served my country. I encourage young adults to consider the military as one of their alternatives to be a building block to their career.”

Ill. State Senator Michael E. Hastings (Dist. -19) addressed the audience as guest speaker.

“Veterans Day to me is a day to celebrate; a day to learn and a day to teach… it’s a time celebrate those who have served our country,” Hastings told the Chicago Citizen Newspaper.

Hastings, sits on the veteran’s affairs committee for the Illinois Congress. For more information call (708) 283-4125 or email District19@senatorhastings.com.

Bill Browne, Director of Veteran Affairs for Cook County, who is a U.S. Air Force veteran, also attended the event.

“There’s a big need to help our veteran population understand where to go for services,” Browne said.

Browne went on to say that all veterans, new and old, need assistance, especially when it comes to accessing programs designed specifically for veterans.

For more information about how Cook County assists veterans call (312) 603-6423.

Settled in 1870, the Village of Hazel Crest is a diverse community of 14,075 people located just 25 miles south of Chicago. Hazel Crest is bordered by the City of Markham to the north, the City of Harvey to the northeast, the Village of East Hazel Crest to the east, the Village of Homewood to the southeast, the Village of Flossmoor to the south and the Village of Country Club Hills to the west.

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