The Salute to Service game this year on Oct. 4, to honor those who have served in the U.S. military, was considered a huge success. This tradition started when head coach Kurt Weinberg and assistant coach Jason Brauer collaborated with Libertyville High School who had done the first Salute to Service game. Originally LT and Downers Grove North decided to switch off each year, but after last year’s presentation at Downers, they decided to make it an annual tradition at LT.

Joseph Barker, a veteran who served in Iraq and a math teacher at LT, spoke to the team after practice on the Thursday before the game to explain what the American Flag meant to him, Brauer said.

“It is important for the team to realize how lucky they are to play this game, and gives them a different perspective on what is being done to provide freedom for them,” Brauer said.

The first Salute to Service game raised about $15,000, all of which was donated to the Wounded Warrior Project. In the past, the seniors of the team were able to go to the Heinz Veteran’s Hospital before the game to meet and interact with veterans. Unfortunately, there was a conflict this year, but they hope to continue that tradition in the future, Brauer said.

This year’s game, had between 20 to 30 veterans honored in the end zone at halftime, their service ranging from World War II to Iraq.

“We hope to do an even better job honoring the veterans at next year’s game,” Student Activities Director Peter Geddeis, who collaborated with the coaches to start this tradition at LT, said.

A representative from the Wounded Warrior Project came to the game and thanked the team for this honor. This year they used a variety of fundraisers to raise money, such as T-shirt sales, camouflage jersey sales, and open donations. The T-shirt sales alone raised over $2,000 for the fund, and in total, the team will donate $5,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project.

“This game gives the team an increased respect for what they can do, and especially what military veterans have done for them,” Brauer said.