Following its annual tradition, HeplerBroom donated to the Madison County (Illinois) Veterans’ Court in honor of Veteran’s Day and the firm’s employees who served in the U.S. military. Firm representatives also had the privilege of attending the graduation ceremony recognizing three veterans who successfully completed the program and were presented with individual Quilts of Valor®.
A Quilt of Valor® is a handmade or machine-stitched quilt created by members of the Quilts of Valor Foundation and awarded to service members and veterans touched by war. Each quilt is presented as an expression of comfort, healing, and gratitude, carrying a simple but heartfelt message: “Thank you for your service and sacrifice in serving our nation.”
Founded in 2009 by The Honorable Charles Romani, the Madison County Veterans’ Court helps ensure that justice-involved veterans receive the treatment, support, and benefits they earned through their military service while providing an alternative to the traditional criminal justice system. Using a collaborative, non-adversarial approach, the Veterans Administration, State’s Attorney’s office, defense counsel, Madison County Problem-Solving Court, and community partners work together to help give each veteran the best possible chance of getting back on track as a healthy, productive citizen. Among other things, the program includes substance abuse and mental health assessments as well as help obtaining any service-connected disability benefits. The program also includes a peer mentoring program.
HeplerBroom employees honored through this year’s donation were:
- Larry Hepler – U.S. Army, 1968-1970 (Captain, 1st Infantry Brigade, 5th Mechanized Infantry Division, Republic of Vietnam, 1969-1970)
- Paul R. Lewis – U.S. Air Force, 1989-1999 (E-4, Aerospace Medicine Division)
HeplerBroom would like to thank all veterans for their service.
