Community Corner

A Hero's 'Welcome Home' is Planned for Army Spc. John Mikrut

U.S. Army Spc. John Mikrut will be home on leave next week. He is the Round Lake Area Exchange Club's "Hometown Hero" for July.

Army Spc. John Mikrut, a 2010 graduate of Grayslake North High School who is currently on his second deployment, will be welcomed home on leave at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 10 at the Panera Bread meeting room in Round Lake Beach.

Mikrut is the Round Lake Area Exchange Club's July Hometown Hero. He is stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Seattle, Wash. He was registered for this honor by his brother, Alex Mikrut of McHenry. His mother, Sherry Ridge, serves as the chairwoman for this Americanism program.

Mikrut joined the Army in Feb. 2011, and since his infantry graduation he has gone on to become part of the elite infantry Ranger Regiment. Rangers are the Army's premier direct-action raid force. Mikrut serves in the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.

The following are among the honors and medals Mikrut has earned: Combat Infantryman Badge; Parachutist Badge; Army Achievement Medal,;Afghanistan Campaign Medal; NATO Medal; National Defense Service Medal; and ribbons of deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Mikrut is a Community Partners in Education sponsor at Indian Hill Elementary School and continues to volunteer with the Round Lake Area Exchange Club when home on leave.

All heroes receive a "Hanging with the Heroes" care package delivered with a personalized T-shirt (donated by Artrageous of Hainesville), a piece of home and letters from Round Lake Area School District 116 students.

Heroes also receive a specially made rosary for the military from Legion of Mary from St. Joseph's in Round Lake. Mikrut's package will also be filled with gum, floss, cookies and snacks with the help of this month's sponsor, Robert Frank of Robert E. Frank Real Estate, Inc.

The Round Lake Area Exchange Club will present a plaque to his family at Panera Bread on Wednesday.
 
Any and all military personnel serving overseas or in the USA from any of the Round Lake Areas, Hainesville, Fox Lake, Ingleside or surrounding areas qualify for the program.

If you have a neighbor, family member, friend, employee, employer, etc. serving in the military please register them by going to www.rlaexchange.org/hero, five minutes is all it takes. We look forward to announcing the September Hometown Hero. For more information visit the web site or you can contact Sherry Ridge at (847) 740-2379.

Information provided by the Round Lake Area Exchange Club


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