St. Charles veterans, Duane Buttell and Andrew (Andy) Balafas, dedication to country and community has earned them recognition in the national Veterans of Foreign Wars #StillServing campaign. The campaign honors veterans who continue to serve in their community following active duty.
Both are members of and volunteers with VFW which is exceptionally active in the community. It launched a Constitution Day celebration that this year will expand to a full week of activities, coordinates a community member program that connects civilians and veterans, with nearly 30 participants so far, launched a street banner program that honors individual veterans. Andy Balafas leads the Veterans Program for Vitas in the greater Chicago area for three hospice programs. Duane Buttell has been in leadership with the Exchange Club in St. Charles, and attracted a collection of our Nation’s founding documents and a public memorial on the Pottawatomie Park Riverwalk in St. Charles.
Now they are nearly ready to unveil the development of 2,200-square-foot veterans’ activity center and military museum with plans to open either the end of this year, or in early 2022.
Their dedicated service to the military and veterans led them to be chosen as VFW #StillServing Heroes nationwide. VFW invites all veterans to submit their stories at vfw.org/stillserving.
— Sturges Word Communications