A little rain couldn’t dampen the spirit of Illinois Day 2026 at the VFW National Home!
Each year, Illinois Day gives us the opportunity to welcome friends, supporters, and members of the VFW Department of Illinois and its Auxiliary to campus. While Mother Nature had different plans for this year’s outdoor activities, the day was still filled with plenty of laughter, fun, generosity, and a few surprises.
And by surprises, we mean onions disguised as caramel apples.
A Prank with a Plot Twist
What started as a plan to prank VFW National Home Executive Director Dr. Jerred Johnson quickly turned into a double prank.
The original plan was simple: convince Jerred to take a bite out of what appeared to be a delicious caramel apple, but was actually an onion dipped in caramel. Once Jerred caught wind of the prank, he decided to turn the tables and make Chief Operating Officer Dave Lewis the unsuspecting victim instead. There was just one problem: the rest of the staff was one step ahead.
In the end, both Jerred and Dave took a big bite out of caramel-covered onions, much to the delight of everyone watching. Needless to say, neither one will be trusting a caramel apple handed to them by staff anytime soon.
Thankfully, there were plenty of real caramel apples to go around. Kids had the opportunity to create their own at the caramel apple station, choosing from a variety of toppings to make the perfect fall treat. Pumpkin decorating was another favorite activity, giving everyone a chance to get creative and take home a little piece of fall from the National Home.
When It Rains, We Improvise
Illinois Day usually gives our guests a chance to enjoy the beauty of our 640-acre campus, but steady rain meant we needed to make a few adjustments.
Campus tours moved onto the bus, giving visitors a warm and dry way to see the National Home, learn more about our programs, and hear about the work happening across campus. We also brought the fun indoors, adding lawn games to the Community Center Auditorium.
Because at the National Home, a little rain simply means finding a new way to have fun.
More important than any activity, though, was getting to spend time with the friends and supporters who traveled from Illinois. State Days are about more than an agenda or a list of activities. They are about relationships. They give our supporters an opportunity to see firsthand the impact of their generosity while giving our families and staff the chance to personally thank the people who continue to believe in our mission.
“The partnership we have with Illinois means so much to the National Home,” said Dr. Jerred Johnson, VFW National Home Executive Director. “Year after year, they show up for our veterans and their families with incredible generosity and a genuine passion for our mission. We are grateful not only for their financial support, but for the relationships and friendships they continue to build with our families and staff.”
Illinois Helps Push Two Projects Across the Finish Line
That generosity was on full display this year.
VFW Department of Illinois State Commander Rob Bailey and Auxiliary President Danielle Krull announced that funds raised by Illinois would support two important projects at the National Home: the Early Education Center Playground and the Community Center Game Room. Both projects already had fundraising underway, but Illinois stepped in with the support needed to help push both projects across the finish line.
The Early Education Center Playground will provide a safe, engaging space where some of the youngest children on our campus can play, explore, learn, and simply be kids. Improvements to the Community Center Game Room will benefit families across campus, providing an updated space where kids and teens gather, stay active, and build connections with one another.
These projects are different in purpose, but they share something important, they help create the sense of community that makes the National Home so special.
For more than a century, the VFW National Home has been a place where veterans and their families can find stability, support, and hope for what comes next. Partnerships like the one we share with Illinois help us continue creating a place where kids can be kids and families can heal, and where veterans and families can build new beginnings.
To State Commander Bailey, President Krull, the VFW Department of Illinois, its Auxiliary, and every individual who donated, traveled to Michigan, participated in Illinois Day, or supports the National Home throughout the year, thank you!
Your generosity was overwhelming, and your friendship means just as much.
We loved having our Illinois friends back on campus, rain and all. Here’s hoping next year brings just as much laughter and fun, with a little more sunshine.
