$19.48 Campaign: FVM Marks Women Veterans Recognition Day

HOMEWOOD-FLOSSMOOR, IL — In conjunction with the Village of Flossmoor’s Centennial, Flossmoor Veterans’ Memorial, Inc. (FVM) is seeking 100 donations of $19.48 to celebrate Women Veterans Recognition Day.

Women Veterans Recognition Day, celebrated yearly on June 12, commemorates the signing of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act on June 12, 1948. The Act allowed women to serve in the United States military on a full-time basis both in peacetime and during conflict, regardless of military occupational specialty. Coupled with President Truman’s Executive Order in 1948 to desegregate the United States military, the Act also applied to Black women.

Throughout history, women have served in America’s armed forces in various capacities, from the Revolutionary War to present day. According to USO.org, more than 300,000 women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11, more than 9,000 have earned Combat Action Badges, and today, women make up approximately 16% of the United States military.

According to FVM’s efforts to collect names of Flossmoor military veterans, 60 women out of 950 identified veterans have lived or are currently living in Flossmoor. As told in Dr. Kristine Condon’s Fragments of Flossmoor: A Series of Essays on the Interesting, Curious, and Unique in Our Village, there were nine women’s names listed on the World War II Honor Roll, Flossmoor’s original Veterans’ Honor Wall, in 1945. Their stories are described in Condon’s book, less three women whose backgrounds and service remain mysteries.

Donations for the $19.48 Campaign can be made on FVM’s website (https://flossmoorvets.square.site) and on Facebook (@honoringflossmoorvets). Flossmoor residents interested in reading about Flossmoor’s veterans and the Village’s centennial history can also find Fragments of Flossmoor available for donations of $30 for hardcover and $25 for paperback on FVM’s secured online store. Shipping/delivery and handling will be calculated at checkout. Purchasers who wish to have their copies dedicated or signed for gift-giving should use the “Notes” field at checkout. FVM encourages community members to share names of previously unknown Flossmoor women veterans with FVM as they make their $19.48 donations. FVM also encourages community members to share photos of women veterans on FVM’s social media pages during the $19.48 Campaign and/or tag FVM in their own social media posts.

FVM expects to construct the Veterans’ Wall of Honor on a 9,500 square-foot parcel located north of Flossmoor Road and east of the Metra/CN tracks. Designed by Flossmoor architect Michael Matthys, the Wall of Honor will be a tribute to all current and former Flossmoor residents who are serving or have served our nation’s Armed Forces.

In addition to Braun, other corporate officers and members of the fundraising and communications subcommittees include John Beele, Kristine Condon, Richard Condon, Flossmoor Village Trustee Brian Driscoll, Jim Fornaciari, Josh Grenard, Robert Guilfoyle, Phil Lee, Flossmoor Village Clerk Gina LoGalbo, Tony Manos, Greg Mitchell, Erich Stockwell, and Calvin Young. For more information, visit @honoringflossmoorvets on Facebook/Instagram, @FlossmoorVWH on X/Twitter, https://flossmoorvets.square.site on the Web, or flossmoorvets@gmail.com via e-mail.