Illinois Governor Pat Quinn/WJEZ file photo
Gov. Pat Quinn spent part of his holiday season with wounded soldiers.
He traveled to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., to drop off Christmas cards hand-made by students across Illinois.
“We have a lot of our service members who’ve been wounded, our wounded warriors who are still recovering in the hospital, and I think it’s important that from the hearts of the people of Illinois, especially our students, that we send them holiday greetings, wishes for a speedy recovery,” he said before he departed.
The trip is an annual affair for Quinn, dating to when he was lieutenant governor, and the trip often involved going to Germany, when wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were in full swing.
He’s also promoting Hero Miles, a program under which frequent fliers can donate miles so family members of injured military personnel can get free plane tickets to visit them in the hospital. To date the program has issued more than 40,000 donated tickets, saving service members and their families $63 million. To donate miles, visit www.FisherHouse.org.
