n honor of Veterans Day on Monday, several organizations were at Founders Memorial Library paying tribute to America’s servicemen and women.

About six members of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity stood at the main level of the library asking people to sign a banner that read “Thank You from Northern IL. University.”

About 500 students signed the banner to show their appreciation. Members of APO hope to send the banner to troops in Afghanistan or near Iraq.

Alpha Phi Omega, the Founders Memorial Library Foundation, the American Marketing Association, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Club out of Batavia, Ill., collaborated to raise awareness and support for soldiers overseas.

Rebecca Allen, vice president in charge of service for APO, was at the library asking people to sign the banner for soldiers who won’t be home for Christmas.

“We’re focused on the holidays right now, just for them making the sacrifice of being over there and not being able to be with their families,” she said. “It’s pretty much just a ‘thank you’ note for their sacrifice.”

APO made a banner and cards for soldiers in spring 2002.

Danielle Eisenach, APO leadership vice president and member of the VFW Auxiliary Club, couldn’t look at the 500-some signatures at the library without getting a little emotional.

“I can’t even read these right now because I’ll start bawling,” she said. “I’ve got friends and family over there [overseas]. I know a lot of people who do. I get tons of letters and pictures, and it’s just unbelievably moving. The things they write and the pictures that they send … it makes me feel really good to know that we’re making a difference, because they can’t be home for the holidays.”

Eisenach recalled one particular letter she received from a soldier overseas.

“He was like, ‘It’s people like you that keep us fighting and fighting and hoping and hoping and knowing that we’re doing the right thing’ …” Eisenach said. “So it touches me on a very personal level.”

In the basement of the library, the organizations also sponsored a blood drive. Heartland Blood Centers was on hand to take the blood.

“The partnership between the organizations and Heartland has been great,” APO Secretary Hollie Long said. “They are always willing to come out and accommodate us.”

Members of the AMA sat outside the library staff lounge giving donors pamphlets and applications.

“We want to let people know that we support our veterans and help our country,” said Beth Watson, vice president of fundraising for AMA.

Long commented on the attendance.

“We think that because of Veterans Day, more people will turn out for the blood drive,” she said.

Amanda Reising, a freshman undecided major, was there to show support..

“Donating blood helps a lot of people … everyone should give blood. The needle doesn’t hurt as bad as people think,” she said.

For APO President Marc Gorecki remembrance hits close to home because his mom’s first husband was killed in Vietnam.

“Whether you agree or not with war, it’s still about remembering the people that are over there and understanding they are risking their lives for us,” he said.

The service fraternity also is collecting non-perishable foods and magazines to send overseas, along with cards they made for troops last week. They will send the collections to AFW on Wednesday. Anyone wanting to make more donations should call Eisenach at 754-1514 or e-mail her at [email protected].

Staff Reporter Matt Knutson contributed to this report.