McHenry VFW hosts about 150 recruits on Thanksgiving; offers meal, games, music, access to phones

McHENRY – On Thanksgiving, twenty-year-old Evan Frederick said he missed being with his family back home in Florida, but was “super thankful and grateful” the McHenry VFW Post 4600 hosted him and about 150 other young recruits from the Great Lakes Naval Station.

Fellow recruit Josiah Crockett, 19, from South Padre Island, Texas, echoed Frederick’s sentiment adding the outing, after nearly 10 weeks of boot camp, brought everyone together and provided a much-needed break from the rigor of the North Chicago base.

This is what the military is about.”

—  Isabella Rico, 22, a recruit from the Great Lakes Naval Station in North Chicago

The event, made possible through donations and nearly 70 volunteers, welcomed recruits Thursday with a hot meal including 25 turkeys, nine hams, 14 pounds of Polish sausage and all the fixings.

A photo both, video game machines, board games, music and karaoke also was made available to the recruits.

VFW members welcomed the recruits in to the hall with applause and encouraged them to relax and feel at home. They also provided the recruits, many away from home for the first time, with cell phones to call their families.

Isabella Rico, 22, made a call to her family gathering for Thanksgiving back home in Colorado. She too would have been at her aunt’s house enjoying the day with her family, she said.

But, Rico said, the VFW providing Thanksgiving for her and the others is “The sweetest thing that ever happened.”

“This is what the military is about,” she said noting the volunteers left their own families to be there for her and the other recruits.

Michael Davidoff, 22, of New Jersey said this is his first time away from his family on Thanksgiving. He also appreciated the VFW’s kindness and said the break from the base “will help me push through the next couple of weeks.”

Russ Hyatt, an Army veteran and member of the American Legion McHenry Post 491 is the owner of Sundowner Entertainment who provided the music, karaoke and photo booth.

Hyatt said he has been a part of this event for the last 20 years. He comes from a family of veterans including his mother a retired Navy nurse, father, a retired three-star Army general and his son serving in the Army.

“These young men and women are our future,” Hyatt said. “Today the people here are our past, our present and our future. ... Vets are my world. I do this because veterans are the unsung heroes.”

Emily Diaz, 18, was one of the luckier recruits Thursday as she was joined for Thanksgiving by her mom and three siblings. Although originally from California, the family now lives in Round Lake Beach and her father is a recruit training commander at the base, she said.

Even when her family is close, Diaz hasn’t seen them for ten weeks.

Her mother, Jeni Diaz, said seeing her daughter was “unbelievable.” She said her daughter called just an hour prior to arriving at the VFW and she and her three younger children got ready in 20 minutes and headed over.

Emily Diaz is like the others in preparing to graduate boot camp next week, and she said it is hard not seeing her family but she stays focused on why she joined the military.

“I just have to remember why I am here,” Emily Diaz said. “The overall discipline and life benefits.”

Mike Kinnerk, senior vice commander for the VFW who served in the Army for 22 years, said hosting the holiday for the recruits is to remind them that they are appreciated and to say thank you for “carrying on what we no longer do.”