Sailors treated to food, fellowship, calls home on Christmas

TINLEY PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- The holiday season can be especially difficult if you're away from family, as was the case Thursday for many local sailors.

In suburban Tinley Park, the VFW post did what they could to share holiday cheer with service men and women. Navel recruits were treated to food, fellowship, and a phone call back home.

Forty-two navy recruits from Great Lakes Naval Base got a hero's welcome. Arlington Heights isn't home, far from it for most of them, so hundreds of locals volunteered to give these sailors Christmas.

"Everybody here is taking the place of my family which is keeping it from being hard," said Josiah Kirkland.

Inside Christian Liberty Academy rooms were set up so they could surf the web, maybe play video games or catch a movie, but by far the most popular activity was calling family members.

It's been nearly two months since these recruits have had contact with loved ones, so volunteers handed over their personal cell phones so they could call home.

"Lady came up to me and she was like, 'Would you like to make a phone call?'" Alexxis Garcia said. "I was like, 'I would love to yes! Thank you!'"

This all came together because of Bob Stack, whose son was killed four years ago while serving in Afghanistan.

"I look at them and a lot of them look like, they remind me of my son," Stack said. "They're young, many of them are right out of high school. It's a time of year most people are accustomed to being home with their family so it's nice that they can come here and experience some comforts of home for the day."

Over 100 other sailors went to Berwyn for the annual Christmas Day with the sailors featuring a drum line and bagpipes. The honored guest was Governor Pat Quinn.

"We believe that in a democracy everyone has worth," Quinn said. "That's why today, Christmas Day, we honor all those who served who have that ethic of service."

Paola Londono, just stationed here from Florida, was excited to meet him.

"It's an honor," Londono said. "We get to meet the governor of the state. You don't get to do that every day. A lot of people don't get to do that at all."

It's the ninth year of this Christmas celebration in Berwyn and in January, planning begins to host sailors next Christmas.