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For more information,
to donate or volunteer visit our website:
333 S. Wabash
16th Floor
Chicago IL, 60604
(312) 822-6699
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The USO of Illinois
annually
serves over 300,000 service members and their families at 5 USO Centers and through hundreds of programs and services.
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Chicago Bears Care about Military Teens and Tweens
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Military teens and tweens face some unique challenges growing up within the military lifestyle, including frequent moves; reconnecting and making new friends in new places; and separation from parents, caregivers and family members who are training or deployed.For this reason, the USO of Illinois developed programs targeted to support military Teens/Tweens by providing recreational and educational opportunities. On March 3
rd, USO of Illinois hosted a special teen and tween event at which military youth were able to invite civilian friends to join them. This "Me and a Friend" Day was hosted by the Chicago Bears at Halas Hall and featured fun fitness activities. A total of 48 military teens/tweens attended, and they brought 25 friends with them.
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| Military Teens and Tweens warm up with the Chicago Bears' mascot, Staley. |
"By allowing the military teens and tweens to bring civilian friends to our events, it makes them feel more comfortable and open," said Associate Director of Programs for the USO of Illinois, Jill Gayton. "It allows them to bond and grow with civilian children as well as other military children, who already understand the struggles of military life. It's not talking about your feelings or hardships. It's about forgetting the problems of a military lifestyle for a few hours and having a good time." The group was treated to a tour of Halas Hall's memorabilia display that includes the Super Bowl Trophy and has a section dedicated to Chicago Bear and USO of Illinois' advocate Charles "Peanut" Tillman. After the tour, the group did warm-ups and stretches with Staley Bear, the Chicago Bears' Mascot, at the Walter Peyton Center.
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Military Teens visit Halas Hall's memorabilia display.
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The youth then split into two groups. Some attended a coach's clinic lead by Keith McMaster, coach of Richmond South High School, who previously worked with the NFL. The participants of the clinic rotated between four stations: linebacker, receiver, defensive lineman and running back. Each station had specific drills set up, such as passing, dodging and catching. The other group was treated to a dance clinic by Katie Loveless, a dance instructor in the Chicago Suburbs. The group learned hit dances to a variety of music. The day ended with the youth enjoying a lunch at Halas Hall's cafeteria. David Darroch, USO of Illinois Program Director, said "It was really amazing to watch all of these kids. There was participation from everyone and I didn't really see any wallflowers standing around not doing anything. The programs we provide for families at the USO of Illinois are key to our mission, and we are glad to see that they are positively affecting the lives of a young generation of military dependents."
The USO of Illinois would like to salute the Chicago Bears for their continued support of the USO and military families.
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Partner Profile: Bridgeview Bank Mortgage Division supports troops through local initiative
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| The USO of Illinois's mission is to not only provide programs and services to military in Illinois, but also to be a bridge between the civilian and military communities. In 2015, the USO of Illinois is proud to announce our partnership with Bridgeview Bank Mortgage Division (BBMC Mortgage). Since its foundation in 1971, BBMC has strived to improve the quality of life for the active duty military personnel and veteran communities across the country. BBMC is a full-service lending subsidiary offering a complete line of residential mortgage, refinancing, and specialty loan programs that prides itself on honesty and fair dealings, competitive rates, superior customer service, and involvement in the community.
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| Todd Jones, Jeremy Crooks and Ric Rumowski of Bridgeview Bank Mortgage Division serve dinner at the USO of Illinois No-Dough Dinner. |
In 2014, BBMC introduced the Patriot's Charity Initiative (PCI). PCI's goal is to raise the awareness of and distribute funds to a handful of charities that satisfy the many needs of our active duty and veteran servicemen and women, including the USO of Illinois. As part of the PCI program, BBMC Mortgage donates $150 to the USO of Illinois for every participating loan closed. Their employees also work hand-in-hand with the PCI charities, volunteering at events including a USO of Illinois No-Dough dinner, where BBMC employees served over 250 dinners to service members and their families at Naval Station Great Lakes.
"At BBMC Mortgage, we have several employees that were service members at one point in their lives," says Todd Jones, President of Retail Mortgage at BBMC. "We see this Patriot's Charity Initiative program as a way to thank our service members and their families for the sacrifices they have had to endure while protecting the freedoms we all enjoy."
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Todd Jones, President of Retail Mortgage at BBMC
eats a No-Dough dinner with sailors at
Naval Station Great Lakes. |
The USO of Illinois selected BBMC and the PCI program as a partnership due to their passion to make a difference in the lives of the military community in Illinois. The hope is for the program to become a rallying point for employees at BBMC and to promote a culture of giving and service. Employees of BBMC have risen to the occasion over the past several months, and communications with them describe the pride they feel working with an organization like the USO and how much they have invested thus far in the PCI program. This all puts the work they do each day to promote this unique program into perspective. The future for the Patriot's Charity Initiative and BBMC Mortgage is bright and the USO of Illinois is proud to continue to work with BBMC Mortgage to expand and grow the PCI program in the coming months. To learn how to get involved or support the PCI program please visit: https://mybbmc.com/patriots-charity-initiative.  The USO of Illinois is proud to partner with BBMC Mortgage, LLC and would like to thank the employees for their dedicated work on the PCI program. |
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