Sailors' Christmas in Berwyn

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Mario Manfredini (standing left) of Berwyn chats with sailors from Great Lakes Naval training center. The Combined Veterans of Berwyn hosts 43 sailors for their daylong 13th annual Sailors for Christmas event on Dec. 25.

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Andrew Suttles of Greenville, South Carolina has a FaceTime call with his family. The Combined Veterans of Berwyn hosts 43 sailors from Great Lakes Naval training center for their daylong 13th annual Sailors for Christmas event on Dec. 25.

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Lily Mumbert (from left) of Austin, Texas; Siane Nash of Kalispell, Montana; Ariana McRimmon of Chula Vista, California; and Karina Jones of Houston, Texas, lean in on McRimmon's FaceTime call on the tablet propped up on the centerpiece. The Combined Veterans of Berwyn hosts 43 sailors from Great Lakes Naval training center for their daylong 13th annual Sailors for Christmas event on Dec. 25.

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Ethan "Lucky" Long of Yosemite, California, chats with volunteer Sandra Lumpkin of Lombard. The Combined Veterans of Berwyn hosts 43 sailors from Great Lakes Naval training center for their daylong 13th annual Sailors for Christmas event on Dec. 25.

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Roscoe Robinson (left), USAF veteran from Palatine, reminds sailors of some of their future responsibilities, as Combined Veterans of Berwyn coordinator Tony Ward, Sr and recruits listen. 43 sailors from Great Lakes Naval training center spend the day at the 13th annual Sailors for Christmas event on Dec. 25. This is Robinson's seventh time at the event.

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Samantha Hendrix of Chandler, Arizona, has a FaceTime call with her husband, mom and three kids. The Combined Veterans of Berwyn hosts 43 sailors from Great Lakes Naval training center for their daylong 13th annual Sailors for Christmas event on Dec. 25.

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Brianna Mendoza (from left) of Ennis, Texas; Samantha Hendrix of Chandler, Arizona; Kaci Smead of Norwich, Connecticut; and Ignacia Dominguez of Homestead, Florida, lean into Hendrix' FaceTime call with her husband, mom and three kids. The Combined Veterans of Berwyn hosts 43 sailors from Great Lakes Naval training center for their daylong 13th annual Sailors for Christmas event on Dec. 25.

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Raynesha Allen of Wilson, North Carolina, makes a FaceTime call to her sister using one the volunteer's cellphone. The Combined Veterans of Berwyn hosts 43 sailors from Great Lakes Naval training center for their daylong 13th annual Sailors for Christmas event on Dec. 25. Recruits are not allowed cellphones while in training, so volunteers share their phones and tablets to allow them to phone home on Christmas.

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Connor Gronda (left) of Pinckney, Michigan, talks with volunteer Alan Noparstak of Barrington. The Combined Veterans of Berwyn hosts 43 sailors from Great Lakes Naval training center for their daylong 13th annual Sailors for Christmas event on Dec. 25.