Associated Press - November 12, 2009 4:14 AM ET

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - A fishing pond near an Illinois state home for veterans is open.

Officials dedicated Lile Lake Wednesday. It's a fishing pond of a little under two acres for residents of the Illinois Veterans' Home at Manteno and their families.

Lile Lake is on a grassy area in front of the Manteno between the main entrance. the service entrance. Private donations paid for it. Labor and equipment was donated by the Kankakee-Iroquois County Building and Construction Trades.

It is named for Forrest "Mickey" Lile. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was a teacher and coach and served as Manteno's assistant superintendent for five years in the 1980s.

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