Name: Annual Veterans Dinner
Start: 2025-11-01T17:30:00-05:00
Location: Embassy Suites Rockford (Rockford, IL)

Veterans Memorial Hall and Museum along with The Winnebago County Veteran’s Association are working together on the Annual Veteran’s Dinner. This dinner has brought together Veterans from all branches of service, people from the government sector and the private sector to share in fellowship to honor area Veterans for over 80 years!
I am reaching out to you today seeking your support so that we may continue to present this Annual Veterans Dinner. See the attached sponsorship opportunities page.
The dinner will be held Saturday, November 1st 2025, at Embassy Suites, 416 S. Main St. Rockford, Illinois 61101. Registration and Social hour, 5:30-6:30, posting of the colors at 6:30 and dinner will be served at 6:45 PM.
Dinner will consist of your choice of Boneless Short Rib or Salmon with a beurre blanc sauce or Vegetarian Entrée. All entrées will include garlic and gouda whipped potato, artisan vegetable such as baby carrots and broccolini and Dessert, Coffee, Tea or Water. Meal choice should be made at time of ticket purchase. Short Rib is the default meal.
This year’s keynote speaker will be Rochelle Crump United States Women’s Army Corps 1971-1973
Now retired Ms. Crump has served as the Assistant Director for the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs. During her tenure she managed all outreach and special events, including the management of 51 veteran service field and appeal offices responsible for assisting Illinois’ one million veterans. In addition, she managed the grants and the state approving agency, a federal program responsible for the approval of the state of Illinois college and non-college degree programs, vocational flight training, apprenticeships and on-the job training for veterans. Ms. Crump also managed that agency’s Information Systems division, which was responsible for the agency’s technology system and programs.
Crump also served by appointment from July 1998 to July 2003 as the director/community liaison for the Chicago Commission on Human Relations, where she directed the functions of the Mayor’s Advisory Council on Veterans Affairs and implemented awareness programs and events in the veteran community to promote the mission of the CCHR. Ms. Crump also served as a board Commissioner for the Commission on Human Relations.
Rochelle is the President and Founder of the National Women Veterans United (NWVU), a 501c3 not for profit Military Women Veterans Organization, formed in March 2005, for military women veterans of all branches of the Armed Forces. Under Rochelle’s leadership NWVU successfully advocated for the IL Women Veterans License Plate. NWVU created the “Women Veterans are Heroes Too” medal as a way to highlight their significant contributions of service in the Armed Forces.
In 2015 after Ten (10) years of advocacy and outreach, NWVU opened the only Women Veteran’s Center in Illinois and it is one of few across the nation, that provide various gender specific services for military women veterans and their families, with emphasis on disabled, at risk and homeless military women veterans. NWVU has trained more than 20 NWVU members in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). NWVU provides creative art and crafts therapy, fitness activities, book club, and yoga and health initiatives. NWVU created the first ‘Stand Down” for military women veterans. Ms. Crump served honorably in the Women’s Army Corps from 1971-1973 and holds a Master of Science Degree in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University.