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I Want ToParkTalk Podcast: Return of the Naperville Healing Field of Honor
Friday, October 3, 2025
Episode Description:
Ahead of the 2025 Naperville Healing Field of Honor November 7-12, Operation Support Our Troops – America Executive Director, Linda Tuisl and former U.S. Marine Chopper Pilot and Vietnam Veteran, Wayne Fischer, discuss their work on the event, its impact on veterans, and ways the community can show their support for veterans and active duty service members.
Quotes from the Episode:
Why is Naperville a great host community?
Operation Support Our Troops – America was founded in 2003 by Deb Rickert in Naperville, so we really feel like this is our backyard. Naperville has an amazing community of supporters. A lot of people here have a military connection, whether it’s family or friends, and we feel really welcome here. – Linda Tuisl
As a veteran, what does the Healing Field of Honor mean to you?
It means what it’s called – it’s the Healing Field of Honor. We’re recognizing and honoring both our living veterans through their families and flag purchases, and the ones that paid the ultimate price. In the military, once you put that uniform on, you don’t know where you’re going or what you’re going to do. Some of us got to live our dream, not everybody does. – Wayne Fischer
After this event, how can we continue to support local veterans?
From Operations Support Our Troops – America’s perspective, we have many opportunities to volunteer and lend a hand. We are a volunteer driven charity so we need all the help we can get . We also need financial donations. We don’t get government or federal funding. Everything we get is donated through sponsorships or through the community. – Linda Tuisl
Here in Naperville, we have the American Legion Post 43, Judd Kendal VFW Post 38-73, and their focus is on three or four different things: our youth, our community, our active duty military, and our veterans. Keep on an eye on your newspaper and listen to what’s going on in the community. There’s opportunities to be involved whether it’s contributing money or helping out with different programs. – Wayne Fischer
For more information on the Naperville Healing Field of Honor, and to purchase a flag or learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit www.osotamerica.org.
