Glen Ellyn Resident Shares Inauguration Experience

The decision was made in October. If President Barack Obama was re-elected to office, Glen Ellyn resident Lora Bak was determined to attend the inauguration.

Her sister and niece attended his first inauguration. And, Bak was in Grant Park on election night in 2008. She didn’t want to let the opportunity to be a part of history pass by the second time around.

Bak was an Obama supporter and during the election campaign she volunteered time with the campaign working the phone banks at the DuPage County election headquarters in Lombard.

“I wanted to be sure I had the opportunity to attend this [inauguration] as you don't get many chances like this in life,” she said.

While in Washington D.C. for the inauguration, Bak along with her sister, Vicki Sutton, and niece, Kate Sutton, also made visits to the Smithsonian to see an exhibit of the first ladies gowns. The group also visited the Newseum to view the 9/11 exhibit and the exhibit of Pulitzer Prize winning photos.  A trip to the nation’s capital wouldn’t be complete without visiting the White House, the Capital, the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial.

During her time in Washington, D.C., she met people from all over the country and some people from Canada, she said.

“The experience was amazing,” Bak said. “Despite the crowds, everyone was in a good mood, very pleasant and everyone was just excited to be there. People were very friendly all weekend, both people attending from out of town, people who live in D.C. and the vendors on the street selling things. It was very upbeat.”