In conjunction with Elmhurst’s 105th Memorial Day Parade, True Patriots Care will stage a patriotic display of 1,580 American flags in the Wilder Park on the lawn east of the Wilder Mansion from Thursday through Monday, May 25-29.
This year’s display will honor prisoners of war in Vietnam and those still missing in action more than 50 years later.
In 2022, True Patriots Care displayed some 130 American flags honoring service members from Elmhurst’s public and private high schools who were killed in action.
In 2019 for Elmhurst’s 101st Memorial Day Parade, True Patriots Care staged a patriotic display of more than 400 American flags honoring service members from Illinois killed in action since September 11, 2001, as done in 2017.
For Elmhurst’s 100th Memorial Day Parade in 2018, True Patriots Care staged more than 1,600 American flags throughout Wilder Park in honor of Vietnam War service members who were prisoners of war (POW) and missing in action (MIA).
True Patriots Care annually does a Flags of Honor at the entrance to Elmhurst’s York Community High School for Veterans Day in Honor of the 101 alums killed in action. Each flag had the name and war in which each soldier died in service for our country.
A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit foundation, True Patriots Care is dedicated to the recognition and support of first responders and armed services members who have served their communities. Visit the organization’s website (truepatriotscare.com) for more information.
Jerry Christopherson, a U.S. Army veteran and retired Building Manager at York Community High School (2004-22), serves as President of True Patriots Care, while Allison Wiggins Hanchett, Director of Information Technology for the Elmhurst Park District, is among the organization’s Board members.
True Patriots Care counts the Gary Sinise Foundation (garysinisefoundation.org) and Vets Roll (vetsroll.org) among its national partners.