McHENRY – Hundreds gathered in McHenry’s Veteran’s Memorial Park on Sunday, some donning red, white and blue and others carrying miniature American flags, to honor and celebrate the area’s World War II veterans for their service.

McHenry’s veterans clubs, including American Legion Post 491, VFW Post 4600 and the Polish Legion, organized the third annual “Keep the Spirit of ’45 Alive” event at the park with extra significance.

The clubs’ effort was recognized by Gov. Pat Quinn’s office as the only “Spirit of ’45” celebration in Illinois. McHenry has owned that title ever since Congress passed a resolution in 2010 that recognized the second Sunday in August as a day to honor World War II veterans for their victory in the war on Aug. 14, 1945.