OP_100517

opprairie.com News
the orland park prairie | October 5, 2017 | 3
Daughter carries on father’s Wreaths Across America legacy
Fundraiser to
continue through
end of October
Jon DePaolis
Freelance Reporter
Following her father’s
death earlier this year, Julie
Armstrong said she remembers
the outpouring of love
and memories that were
shared in honor of the late
Ron Armstrong.
Ron, a veteran of the Vietnam
War, was a member
of the Orland-Palos VFW
Post No. 2604. But his life
touched many others, leading
to a packed funeral at
which Julie and her siblings
heard stories about their father
from people they previously
had never met.
“So many people were
coming up to me and telling
me, ‘Your dad did [this
or that], and he really helped
me,’” Julie recalled. “He
did so much, and everybody
loved him. He was always
there.”
Julie also learned just how
charitable her father was
when it came to veterans.
“There were so many organizations
that he was a
part of: Honor Flight, the
VFW, volunteering at the
cemetery,” she said. “We
were very aware of those activities,
but Wreaths Across
America was something I
never knew he participated
in. I didn’t even know about
the program [previously] or
what it was.”
National Wreaths Across
America Day takes place in
December and involves volunteers
laying wreaths at the
graves of veterans at the Arlington
National Cemetery,
as well as at 1,200 other locations.
Julie plans to pick up
where her father left it —
raising money for Wreaths
Across America through the
end of October, so that departed
veterans are remembered
for the sacrifices they
made to their country.
Julie’s participation came
after one of Ron’s close
friends reached out to let her
know that Ron took part in
Wreaths Across America.
“He said my dad was dedicated
to it and always making
sure that families that
couldn’t afford it or for those
who didn’t have a sponsor
that [my dad] always made
sure they got one,” Julie
said.
Once she read about the
organization’s mission, Julie
said she felt it was important
to participate this year.
“It’s not just decorating
someone’s grave for Christmas,”
she said. “They want
you to say the person’s name
to keep their memory alive,
and to take a moment out of
your day during a busy time
of year to remember that
person’s life and the sacrifices
that they made.
“I think that ties into, really
well, what was important
to my dad.”
Originally, Julie said she
hoped to raise $250-300.
Approximately $15 covers
the costs of one wreath, so
her initial goal would put her
around the 16-20 range.
She put a fundraising page
on Facebook, and in roughly
five minutes someone donated.
“In less than 24 hours, I
was already at my goal,” she
said. “When it first started,
every single time I read that
somebody had donated, I
was in tears. The fact that
people got me to my goal in
less than 24 hours — I was
beside myself.”
As of Sept. 1, the fundraiser
had collected $915 —
enough money to sponsor 61
wreaths.
“It’s incredible and more
than I thought I could do,”
she said.
Julie said she feels like she
is doing something of which
her father would be proud,
and that makes her happy.
“I enjoy it, because it
makes me feel connected to
him,” she said. “I feel like
he did so much. What I’m
doing doesn’t even hold a
candle to anything he did.
But I feel like I personally
wanted to take this on, because
there’s a void now. He
was doing so much stuff for
so many people.”
On Dec. 16, she also plans
to take part in the Wreaths
Across America Day event
at the Abraham Lincoln National
Cemetery in Elwood,
adorning the gravesites with
wreaths — including her father’s.
For those interested in
donating, visit http://bit.
ly/2fpA6E9.
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