On January 3, Lorenzo Fiorentino and Richard Wojewnik picked up a large quantity of books and records from the Italian American Veterans Museum and placed them on the shelves of the recently opened Chicagoland Combined Veterans Museum, Library and Honor Wall. Fiorentino and Wojewnik are members of the American Legion Post 335 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5979, which […]
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The Cook County Department of Veterans Affairs has launched a quarterly newsletter that provides veterans with useful information on a variety of topics. Their inaugural newsletter spotlights a county program aimed at assisting veterans who have become involved in the legal system and another that is helping residents resolve eviction, foreclosure, debt and tax deed issues. The e-blast also announced […]
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Many Americans are experiencing financial hardships because of the pandemic, and veterans are no exception. The VA Debt Management Center has relief options available to help manage VA benefit debt. Those include establishing or adjusting a repayment plan, requesting a waiver, submitting a compromise offer, and requesting a temporary hardship suspension. A new online tool is available to view debt […]
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Retired Army Colonel and museum board President Renato Bacci recently represented the Italian American Veterans Museum in a virtual signing of a Statement of Support for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). The Statement of Support demonstrates an organization’s commitment to those two branches of the military. Illinois ESGR State Chair Laurie Silvey and Employer Outreach Co-Director Scott Klein hosted the ceremony via Zoom […]
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Starting this month, veterans and Gold Star families will be able to visit national parks and other public lands for free, under a new initiative from the Department of the Interior announced on Wednesday. Active-duty service members and their families are already granted free access to those sites under existing department rules. The new announcement broadens that benefit to more […]
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The Italian American Veterans Museum was a socially distanced beehive of activity on Columbus Day, with more than 17 visitors passing through its doors on the afternoon of Oct. 12, 2020. Strict protocols were followed, with everybody wearing masks, using hand sanitizer, and occupancy limited to groups of no more than 10 family members and friends at a time. Board […]
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“The Harrodsburg Tankers” tells the story of a National Guard outfit called to active duty before the United States entered World War II. In November 1941, they were sent to the Philippines and 18 days after their arrival, the Japanese attacked. They became part of the Bataan Death March and went on to endure 3-1/2 horrific years as prisoners of […]
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The Italian American Veterans Museum will receive unprecedented media play in October thanks to ABC 7 and the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. JCCIA President Sergio Giangrande recommended the museum for coverage during Italian Heritage Month and the station’s programming department sent out producer Justyna Syska, videographer Corinthian Burt and stagehand Ryan Lyons to interview museum President Renato Bacci […]
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IAVM President Renato (Ron) Bacci recently joined Shalom (Scott) Klein on his weekly radio show, “Get Down to Business,” to discuss the history and work of the Italian American Veterans Museum. The seven-minute interview was aired at 6:30 p.m. on July 5 on AM 560 (WIND) radio. Shalom is an avid networker and dedicated entrepreneur. On his Sunday evening show, […]
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The Combined Veterans of Berwyn staged a trailblazing Virtual Expo earlier this month, showcasing more than four dozen government agencies, non-profits and businesses that provide services and information to veterans and others. The expo ran from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, with representatives being given 10 minutes to state their case. The event was live-streamed […]
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