Community Corner

Volunteers, Supporters Make Welcome-Home Events a Success

Operation Welcome You Home relies on its many supporters to make the day of returning service members.

When a neighbor returning from military service was welcomed home with a celebratory procession, Dawn Rousonelos saw for the first time the work of Operation Welcome You Home.

Rousonelos was excited to see her neighbor’s reaction with all the people waiting to welcome him home. The Plainfield resident realized she wanted to be involved in the group and do what she could to be a part of other welcoming processions. 

“It gets really emotional,” she said. “We are letting them know we appreciate what they are doing for us.”

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The experiences are so filled with emotions that Rousonelos said sometimes she isn’t sure whether she wants to cheer or cry.

After that first welcome-home event, Rousonelos said she was sucked in right away to participate with the group. She has three children and felt it was good for them to be at the homecomings so they could learn and understand the importance of supporting those who serve. 

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On a recent evening, Rousonelos and several other volunteers with Operation Welcome You Home met at the home of the nonprofit’s founder, Donna Morsovillo. 

The women were part of the bowling committee and were regrouping after their first bowling fundraiser, which was held in August. The group was busy checking and rechecking thank-you letters to be sent to all those who made donations, provided silent auction items or participated.

When her brother was welcomed home in February, Jessica Graham, of Oswego, realized she wanted to become more involved. A graphic designer, Graham offered up her skills and was immediately welcomed into the organization.

“It was amazing,” Graham said of the welcome-home event. “I thought: Do I give them money? What do I do (in return)? A vet I work with said, ‘No, they do it because they love it,’ so I figured I could do design. That made me feel better because they made my brother feel wonderful.”

Many of the organization’s volunteers offer support just by attending the events. There can never be too many people at the welcome-home events, Morsovillo said. As the weather changes and it gets colder, fewer people attend the events. The motorcycles that normally lead the procession get put away for the winter as well. 

As the procession makes its way to a home or welcome home location, people will come out and applaud, said Gina Jones, of Burbank. 

“It just gives you a really warm feeling,” she said.

Morsovillo agreed.

“It is amazing to see so many people lined up and all the cars,” she said. “What is really amazing is when we are in the motorcade and people stop and get out of their cars and salute.”

When Graham’s brother was welcomed home, it was snowing and cold. 

“I think it’s crazy how many people showed up for my brothers welcome home,” she said. “It’s not a fair weather thing.” 

The welcome homes started in November 2007, Morsovillo said. At the time she was the senior vice president of the Ladies Auxiliary for the , a mother contacted Morsovillo wondering how she would get her son home from the airport. Morsovillo and Bob Bohr, who at the time was the commander of the American Legion, coordinated that first homecoming. They found a limo driver willing to pick up the soldier from the airport. Two weeks later they did it again for another soldier and the organization was on its way.

Bohr and American Legion Post No. 43 Cmdr. Priscilla Lauschber continue to be supportive of the organization’s mission, Morsovillo said.

Since 2007, Operation Welcome You Home has organized more than 200 welcome-home events, sendoffs, honor missions and hospital visits, Morsovillo said. The requests come in and a team reviews them, contact is made with the family or friends. Other contacts are made with mayors, city halls, police and fire departments. Then Graham creates an announcement that is framed for the soldier as a memento.

The bowling event was the organization first fundraiser and they plan to do it again next year.

At the candlelight bowl, held in August, 14 disabled veterans were sponsored so they might attend, said Judi Stapleton, the organization’s assistant coordinator. The veterans who attended were from the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Maywood and the Timbers of Shorewood, were so excited to be at the event, the women said.

Roughly 150 people attended the bowling event, which raised money to benefit veterans and organizations that assist those in need.

The bowling event was fun, but being able to say thank you to the soldiers was what made it worthwhile, Rousonelos said. The other women agreed.

“One guy got all excited over the balloons,” Jones said.

Operation Welcome You Home will hold a special event from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the . To learn more about this event and the organization, visit Operation Welcome You Home.


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