Hope on 5th fundraiser evokes a sense of patriotism

 

[July 29, 2024] 

On Friday, July 26th, a fundraiser event was held at the Lincoln Banquet Center for Hope on 5th. The doors to the event opened just before 6 p.m. for people who had purchased tickets in advance. As the first few people began to enter the hall, the city of Lincoln Fire Department was raising an American flag from the aerial ladder of one of their trucks in the parking lot.

Once inside, everyone was greeted and shown to their assigned tables. The decorations were beautiful, with red, white, and blue tablecloths and centerpieces provided by Sarah Welsh. The lighting provided a nice calming ambiance to the room. There were decorations everywhere invoking a sense of patriotism.

At the front was a small end table adorned with items honoring those veterans who could not be in attendance, as well as descriptions of their significance. Some of these items included an inverted glass “to remind us they cannot toast with us tonight,” a Bible that “represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost,” and a single red rose to remind us “of the families and loved ones of the missing who keep faith awaiting their return.”

A handout was also provided for attendees to read over as they waited for dinner to be served. This handout went over the history of the Hope on 5th facility, their mission and vision, and some updates and future goals. Some of the highlights of the latter two include the beginnings of renovations to eventually move Carle Health into the facility, an official partnership between Regional Housing and Support Services (RHSS), and Heartland Community College to provide culinary classes out of Hope on 5th’s newly renovated kitchen, and a statement about continuing to renovate the facility over the next few years to provide housing for individuals and families in need in our community.

There was a board toward the back of the room with more information on Hope on 5th. There were several before and after pictures showing the progress that has been made in the last year. The board also included information such as the new features of the building and ways that people can help fundraise, including mention of a donation list that was stated to be coming soon.

The bar was open, and many people lined up to get a beverage or two before dinner was served. Once 6:30 p.m. hit, a prayer was offered by Julie King and tables were dismissed one at a time for a meal of pulled pork and chicken sandwiches, apple pie smoked beans, and coleslaw.

As dinner came to a close, the members of the RHSS board came up to address the audience. Kim Turner thanked everyone in attendance and the organizations that helped sponsor the event. These organizations included Elks Lodge, Red Oak Financial, Lincoln Memorial Hospital, and the American Legion. Turner then gave a brief update on the Hope on 5th facility, sharing that they hope to have a dedicated veterans wing in the facility ready to go “very soon.” Turner did not give a date or time frame in which this was to be ready, instead stating that they are “starting slow to get it right.”

Turner then spent a few moments speaking on the late Joe Schaler, who was a member of the RHSS board. She spoke on his contributions to veterans housing in Central Illinois and his caring nature. Turner then introduced the speaker for the night, Chuck Fricke, who spoke on the topic of “A Tribute to American Patriotism.”

Fricke opened with a prayer before speaking to the nature and history of patriotism in America. The theme throughout his presentation was to “speak to the heart.” Fricke spoke on many different ideas relating to the topic of patriotism, including how patriotism ties into American history, bringing in examples from both World Wars and the American Revolution. He also showed and talked about various flags leading up to the American Revolution and how each of them spoke of patriotism in their time. He also shared ideas of how four basic building blocks of character can lead to patriotism.

Fricke shared some stories about his father, who had been awarded two Purple Hearts in World War II, something Fricke did not learn about his father until after he had passed. Fricke used his personal examples to encourage those in attendance to have meaningful conversations and learn about the patriotism of veterans in their families and their lives. Fricke stated that this helps to lead to individual pride, which can then lead to a greater sense of national pride.

During the presentation, Fricke also spoke on the history of the three volleys. This tradition involves an odd number of soldiers forming a line and firing three succinct volleys of gunfire into the air at the funeral of a fallen soldier. This tradition, Fricke shared, goes back to the Roman Empire, where, after a battle, soldiers would walk the battlefield and call the names of their fallen allies three times.

Fricke’s presentation was concluded with a flag folding ceremony in honor of Schaler. A large photograph of Schaler was placed at the front of the room in front of a table that had a flag draped over it. Four veterans from the American Legion Post 26 Color Guard then proceeded to fold the flag in a 13-Fold Script. The oldest living veteran, 100-year-old Bill Gossett was brought to the front to inspect the folding of the flag. It was then presented to RHSS Board Member Nadia Klekamp for future display at Hope on 5th. The folding and presenting of the flag were followed by a video of three volleys, honoring Schaler once more.

This moving ceremony ended the night’s events, with Fricke encouraging everyone to continue to donate to Hope on 5th’s mission.

[Matt Boutcher]