The city of Aurora will be celebrating veterans for an entire week in 2016, something that might be unprecedented in the state of Illinois.

The city of Aurora’s Veterans Advisory Council announced Tuesday (April 26, 2016) that it will kick off its first-ever VETS WEEK AURORA on Armed Forces Day, May 21, and continue to daily events through Memorial Day, May 30.

“When we first starting planning this day, it wasn’t intended to be so big, but with how the calendar runs this year, it just made sense to kick it off on Armed Forces Day,” said AVAC Vice Chair Lisa Garcia. “To our knowledge, this is the first Vets Week in Illinois.”

Vets Week’s mission is to raise much-needed funds for Veterans in Need. Funds will go to veteran housing, job placement, service dogs, scholarships for family members of veterans and educating the public on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, combating the veteran homelessness and other veteran-related assistance.

The week’s itinerary is as follows:

• May 21 – Wreath Laying Ceremony at Veterans Island and Armed Forces Day Car Show
• May 22 – WWII Wreath Laying Ceremony and WWII Exhibit Opening at Phillips Park (Should have 12 WWII Vets present, which is so cool)
• May 23 – Kick Off at the Library, Legacy Girls Performance and Good Morning Vietnam! at the Paramount
• May 24 – Santori Library Day, Memorial Day Parade Grand Marshal Reception
• May 25 – School Day
• May 26 – BBQ Fundraiser
• May 27 – Open House at the IL Army National Guard Armory
• May 28 – Picnic and Concert at Cool Acres – Vets Eat Free & 5 $1,000 scholarships awarded – 144th Army Band Concert Band Performing
• May 29 – 5K Fun Run, Walk, Woof and Roll – Phillips Park
• May 29 – Memorial Day Service – Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War – West Aurora Cemetery
• May 30 – Annual Memorial Day Parade and the Grand Army of the Republic Reopening
• May 30 – Monday Movie Night at the Paramount Theatre – Platoon

About the Aurora Veterans Advisory Council

Founded in 2012, the Advisory Council consists of eight members in good standing of an active veteran’s organization in the Aurora community, five members who are non-affiliated veterans who have been honorably discharged from the military, and the remaining two seats are filled by immediate family members of a living or deceased veteran.  The Advisory Council is composed of Aurora residents from all branches of the military. For more information, visit the city of Aurora Veterans Advisory Council webpage and Facebook page.