David and Barb Bradley were among five military families presented with the Blue Star Banner under a newly launched program for residents living in Palatine Township to honor soldiers serving the country.
“It’s just moving. It really is,” said Barb Bradley, while holding onto the small white flag with a red border and single blue star that she and her husband will hang in a window of their Palatine house.
“I’m very proud of him,” said David Bradley of their son, Marine Cpl. Christopher Bradley. “It’s something to do in life to give back. We just hope the best for all these guys serving our country.”
Five military families were presented with the Blue Star Banner, which represents those serving in the U.S. military. (Carolyn Rusin/Tribune)
The Bradley’s and other families were presented with the flag during a ceremony this week at Palatine Township.
“These banners represent our community. It’s my hope and desire neighbors will reach out to these military families,” Township Clerk Lisa Moran, who brought the idea for the banners to the township board.
Elgin resident, Joyce Carrasco, director and founder of the Blue Star Mothers Group of the Greater Chicago Area, helped Moran launch the program. The flags are being paid for by the First United Methodist Church in Palatine where her group holds meetings.
“This is going to chart the course. This is a good motivation to help get this off the ground,” said Carrraso, who is seeking approval from Elgin city officials to start a similar program.
Moran, along with Palatine Mayor Jim Schwantz, presented a flag to the Bradleys; to Mike and Karen Detloff, whose son, James, is in the Army; and Jim and Kelly Michie, whose son, Brian, is in the Air Force. Steve and Jan MacKay, whose son, Zach Olson, is in the Army also received a flag.
“I’m proud,” said Steve MacKay, a former Marine, who also was not aware of the flag’s existence. “They should have been doing this for all these years.”
Zach Olson’s girlfriend, Jessica Romero of Glenview also attended.
“I’m just glad they are doing it,” Romero said of the township giving out flags.
Rolling Meadows Mayor Tom Rooney assisted Moran in presenting a flag to Jennifer Warkenthien, whose lives in the township, near Rolling Meadows and whose son Dustin is serving in the Air Force.
“It honors the soldiers, but it identifies the families,” Rooney said of the banner. He served in the Marines Reserves from 1986 to 1992 and was deployed to Norway in 1991 for a several month stint during Desert Storm.
“It’s really so important for the people who are left behind here to feel the support of the country, just like the soldier does,” Rooney said.
Banners will be given out each month to those families who apply for one. Next month, Carol Nash of Hoffman Estates will receive one to represent her son, Corey White, 20, in the Marine Corp. She attended the ceremony with her mother, Mary.
