American Legion Post 1288

Veterans Serving Our Community

Bolingbrook Veterans Honor Guard

The Bolingbrook Veterans Honor Guard is an independent association of Bolingbrook area Veterans who have gathered together to provide a brief, but very dignified, service of remembrance and recognition for fellow Bolingbrook area veterans at the time of their death. The service is usually provided at the Funeral Home used by the Veteran's family, although a grave side service can also be arranged.

The service of remembrance and recognition provided by the Honor Guard consists of the following elements:

Honor Guard members present themselves before the casket of the fallen comrade, in a military and dignified manner.
Members then lay small symbolic tokens of remembrance - white flower, U.S. Flag, and a sprig of evergreen at the casket of the deceased veteran. An explanation of the symbolism accompanies the presentation.
A prayer for the veteran and the veteran's family is offered.
The family is presented the Flag of Our Country, on behalf of a grateful nation.
A rifle volley is then fired, and Taps is played.
The ceremony concludes with each Honor Guard member (and any other veteran present who chooses to participate) presenting himself before his departed comrade and offering a final slow salute. This is accomplished while 'Amazing Grace' played by bagpipes is presented in the background.

The Bolingbrook Veterans Honor Guard is not a function of American Legion Post 1288 or V.F.W. Post 5917, although members of both organizations, as well as non-affiliated veterans, participate in the Honor Guard. If you have a need for the services of the Honor Guard for a family member, please contact the Post or the Funeral Home Director.

If you are interested in serving with the Bolingbrook Veterans Honor Guard, please contact the Guard via Post 1288. The Guard attempts to maintain a relatively large listing of veterans who may be contacted to participate in a service, in order to insure that a full contingent can be secured for these short notice events.

The Honor Guard and its ceremony were developed by two long time prior residents and active Bolingbrook veterans: Jim Yocum and John Beckwith, Sr.

Poppy Days

Each year right around Memorial Day, Bolingbrook Post 1288 participates in Poppy Days. Legion members stand on area street corners and local businesses to collect funds for veterans and veterans' programs. Please contact the Post for more information about Poppy Days.

Gifts to the Yanks Who Gave

The GIFTS TO THE YANKS WHO GAVE program was instituted in 1944 to remember our hospitalized War Veterans. The American Legion, Department of Illinois, has maintained this worthy program continuously since it's inception by distributing gifts annyally to each of our veteran patients at all of the V.A. Hospital and extended care units throughout Illinois. The GIFTS TO THE YANKS program has had the countinuous support and cooperation of our American Legion Posts and Auxiliary Units, the S.A.L/, 40/8, 8/40 as well as receiving private contributions from individuals, businesses and other veteran organizations.

Serving Veterans

Please Donate to The American Legion Post 1288 Building Fund

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Post Meetings

Bolingbrook Post 1288 meets the third Monday of every month at 7:30 PM. The meetings are held at 201 B Canterbury Lane, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. For more information regarding meeting times and dates and other post events, please Contact Us.

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