An Honor Flight’s Return
June 23, 2010
The Honor Flight Chicago flight returns are set
To be a fitting climax they will not forget.
A sea of people, Honor Guards, displaying praise,
Each one a gesture from the heart in many ways.
But on the 23rd of June, 2010,
The spirit of America came through again.
Because of massive storms, the flight had been delayed,
Two hours worth, or more, the death of best plans made.
These veterans would never know what had been planned.
There was no way to tell them, let them understand
How people volunteered to come, to shout and cheer,
To give their day a rousing finish, make it clear.
The volunteers who knew the routine shook their heads;
At least, they’re safely home, soon safely in their beds.
But wait! WHAT’S THIS? The sound of cheering swells,
The Honor Guard, the flags, are proof that Freedom dwells.
At least one thousand strong, the people are still there!
There cannot be a better way to show they care.
They came with one set purpose, that to show their pride,
But what they really showed was what they were inside.
Thank you, America!
R. Williams,
Honor Flight Chicago Veteran and HFC Poet Laureate
___________
Donate. Volunteer. Sign Up a Vet.
Visit http://honorflightchicago.org
Or call 773.227.VETS (8387)
Amazing Volunteers: Raising the Bar
What happens when you get 42 energetic, dedicated volunteers – led by Jimmy Hunter and Mike Mahoney – in a room and challenge them to put together a fundraiser? In the case of the wonderful group responsible for the May 14th event at 115 Bourbon Street, you come up with a fundraiser that draws over 600 people and raises the most money ever for one event for Honor Flight Chicago — over $36,000!
These wonderful folks put on a well-organized event that brought together a variety of raffle opportunities, entertainment by The Legacy Girls and Pipes and Drums of the Emerald Society, and great food and beverage. World War II veterans were invited to attend free of charge, and it was great to see so many Honor Flight Chicago “alumni” there enjoying themselves and swapping stories of their special day in Washington, D.C.!
Kudos to each and every one these wonderful volunteers — they put in untold hours of effort to ensure that everything was perfect! Not only was a great time had by all, but because of their hard work, we will be able to honor more than 70 veterans with their day of honor!
Bourbon Street Volunteers
The organizers of this event have thrown down the gauntlet and challenged any other group to beat their awesome total. The challenge has been accepted by Herschel Luckinbill, who is organizing the next event to be held on July 16th (check back soon for more details). Can Herschel’s team beat the record? He is up to the challenge and hopes everyone will help by attending his fundraiser and supporting Honor Flight Chicago!
Throwing down the gauntlet
___________
Donate. Volunteer. Sign Up a Vet.
Visit http://honorflightchicago.org
Or call 773.227.VETS (8387)
Flag Day
We call it Old Glory, the Star Spangled Banner,
The symbol for Liberty throughout the world.
It beckons to hearts in an unsullied manner,
And quickens our pulses to see it unfurled.
The 14th of June is officially its day,
When patriot wisdom and pride are extolled;
It’s THE Stars and Stripes, and it honors us its way,
For we, as Americans, are in its fold.
The strength of its influence cannot be measured;
Revered by its people, it stands all alone.
It is in its own right remarkably treasured;
“Old Glory” says Freedom is our right to own.
R. Williams,
Honor Flight Chicago Veteran and HFC Poet Laureate
___________
Donate. Volunteer. Sign Up a Vet.
Visit http://honorflightchicago.org
Or call 773.227.VETS (8387)
Memorial Day
Our Patriot’s Pride
To measure the depth that Memorial Day
Can play on our senses, our patriot’s pride,
Would find that it’s deeper than many would say,
When being American sets you aside.
No matter the reason, the place, or the cause,
They’re resting in peace, with us grateful above.
This day is their day, and for that we must pause,
To show we remember, salute them with love.
The red in our flag is the blood of those here,
The white for their purpose, uniquely refined,
The blue is our nation, which freedoms endear,
A star for each state, all united, one mind.
Memorial Day is a license to view
How all of us living give accolades due.
R. Williams,
Honor Flight Chicago Veteran and HFC Poet Laureate
___________
Donate. Volunteer. Sign Up a Vet.
Visit http://honorflightchicago.org
Or call 773.227.VETS (8387)
Three Cheers for Our Amazing Volunteers
Honor Flight Chicago has zero employees. Our organization runs strictly on the support of hundreds of volunteers who do an amazing job. Each flight requires more than 250 man-hours to bring together — and that’s before we even get off the ground!
From pre-flight operations to fundraising, communications to airport logistics, volunteers keep Honor Flight Chicago running.
Businesses like American Taxi Dispatch, Inc. have offered their services. Volunteers, from Boy Scouts to Cheer Teams, have gotten creative with fundraisers and raised thousands of dollars for flights. Kids have done many different things. A high school History Club recently held a walk-a-thon and raised over $1,000. Kids have even held Penny Wars to raise funds. Raising funds is an important form of volunteering to Honor Flight Chicago and is very much appreciated!
Interested? It’s an amazing opportunity to say thank you to our heroes and help give them the day of honor they deserve. You’d be surprised at the number of ways you can get involved. There are opportunities for volunteers with all types of talents and interests.
Get a volunteer application here, or dip your toe into the volunteering pool by coming out to our next Welcome Home Celebration on May 12th. By joining the hundreds of people that gather at the airport to greet the veterans as they come home, you can help put the perfect end to a perfect day.
___________
Donate. Volunteer. Sign Up a Vet.
Visit http://honorflightchicago.org
Or call 773.227.VETS (8387)
Honor Flight Praising
The Honor Flight Chicago troupe are people you should know,
Their dedication, as a group, will make your senses glow.
They’ve taken on themselves a task not many would even try,
But they will tell you, should you ask, the very reason why.
The veterans of World War II are swiftly dying out,
They think that plaudits now are due, which avidly they tout.
They take these veterans, scot-free, to Washington, no less,
For their Memorial to see, sans fan-fare, ads, or Press.
Now, though you may applaud their goal—not leaving one behind—
Both time and money take a toll—the latter tough to find.
So they are always searching for a new financial source;
Because each trip takes more and more expenditures in force.
Is this a hint? You bet it is! This isn’t just some lip.
You’ll find that you are in a whiz-bang, monumental trip!
R. Williams,
Honor Flight Chicago Veteran and HFC Poet Laureate
___________
Donate. Volunteer. Sign Up a Vet.
Visit http://honorflightchicago.org
Or call 773.227.VETS (8387)
Help Send WWII Veterans to Washington, D.C.!
Fundraising is the biggest challenge of any non-profit organization. Fortunately for Honor Flight Chicago, we often get to have a lot of fun doing it, like with the Air and Water Show last year or our sock hop and costume contest — and our latest fundraiser will be no exception.
On May 14, Honor Flight Chicago will be hosting dinner, dancing, raffles, and a surprise guest at 115 Bourbon Street. Not only do attendees get to have a great time, but they also have the satisfaction of knowing they helped send World War II Veterans to see their memorial in Washington, D.C.
One hundred percent of the proceeds will benefit Honor Flight Chicago, so get out your dancing shoes and join us in Merrionette Park on Friday, May 14th. Tickets are just $25 in advance and $30 at the door, which includes dinner, draft beer, wine, soft drinks, entertainment and valet parking. World War II Veterans will be given complimentary admission, so they can accompany their guests free of charge! For more information on the event and how to purchase tickets, view the flyer here.
Be sure to buy your tickets early — this is going to be a popular event. Honor Flight Chicago can’t wait to party with you and send more World War II Veterans to Washington, D.C.!
___________
Donate. Volunteer. Sign Up a Vet.
Visit http://honorflightchicago.org
Or call 773.227.VETS (8387)
A Flight to Remember
Tears of Joy
We are now getting into the swing of the new season, and last week we had a really great flight!
There were 81 wonderful World War II veterans on the flight and we were pleased that it included five female veterans: 2 Navy, 2 Army, and 1 Marine. The day was long, but that meant little to the veterans — when greeted by the crowd at the Welcome Home celebration, one even danced along the corridor. Here’s what a few had to say about the day:
“It was the best day of my life.” – Lou N.
“Absolutely outstanding.” – Pete P.
“What a day — I can’t believe it! It was super.” – Jack K.
“I was completely overwhelmed. I didn’t know there was so much love in the world.” – Phil M.
“Everything was so wonderful and great. I want to thank all the volunteers who organized this. It was so amazing, I was in tears.” – Don M.
In just two short years, we’ve doubled our number of flights for World War II Veterans to visit their memorial in Washington, D.C. and experience their well deserved day of recognition. Last week’s flight, however, was just the beginning.
Honor Flight Chicago has taken over 1,100 veterans to Washington so far, but it is estimated that there are 25,000 World War II veterans in the Chicagoland area — and we want to see each and every one receive their day of honor! There are nine more flights scheduled, but not all are funded as of yet. It costs approximately $500 per veteran for the flight, so you can see we have an ambitious goal. Please consider donating to Honor Flight Chicago so that we may send every World War II veteran to Washington before it’s too late.
___________
Donate. Volunteer. Sign Up a Vet.
Visit http://honorflightchicago.org
Or call 773.227.VETS (8387)
April 21st is the Day!
The time has come — Honor Flight Chicago will be kicking off flight season with our first flight of the year on April 21. We currently have 10 flights scheduled for a 29-week period! We’re so excited that another year is upon us.
At Honor Flight Chicago, we’re anxious to get started with flights again so that we can honor more of our heroes. We want to take as many veterans as possible to Washington, D.C. to see the memorial built in their honor.
Unfortunately, the sense of urgency is getting these veterans to their memorial continues to grow. Honor Flight Chicago currently has over 1,200 veterans on our waiting list, and our goal is to get as many of them as possible to Washington while they are still able to do so.
Making these flights happen requires the support of many people — donors and volunteers alike. We need to raise the funds to make the flights possible and need the volunteers to help make them happen.
One way to show your support for our heroes is to come out for the Welcome Home celebration. Honor Flight Chicago enlists hundreds of volunteers to come to Midway Airport to greet the veterans as they return home from their day in Washington, D.C.
Please join us on April 21st for our first Welcome Home celebration of the year! All you have to do is meet at the baggage claim area at Midway Airport. Their flight arrives at 8:30 p.m., but we ask that volunteers arrive at least 45 minutes prior to the flight’s arrival. We hope to see you on April 21st so that you can help make the Welcome Home the memorable celebration that the veterans have been awaiting for more than 60 years.
___________
Donate. Volunteer. Sign Up a Vet.
Visit http://honorflightchicago.org
Or call 773.227.VETS (8387)
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Amazing Volunteers: Ryan Mahoney
Honor Flight Chicago is privileged to have some pretty amazing volunteers. One of those is Ryan Mahoney, a social studies teacher at Independence Jr. High School in Palos Heights.
Here’s his story of how he became involved with our organization:
“A few years ago I was researching charitable organizations for my basketball team to become involved with and happened upon Honor Flight Chicago. I was hooked immediately.
I am honored to be able to be a small part of Honor Flight Chicago. Not only did my father and I begin volunteering, the Independence basketball team raised almost $10,000 for Honor Flight.
The Welcome Home celebrations are amazing, but my favorite part is seeing the excitement on the faces of the vets the morning of the flights. Only special people can be that happy and excited at that hour of the morning!
Volunteering with Honor Flight Chicago is, to me, a way to say thanks to the men and women who sacrificed so much for us. I feel like it helps me connect with my father, Mike, a proud Navy veteran as well as remember my Uncle James, a World War II Naval Aviator.”
Ryan is not only a valued member of the Honor Flight Chicago team — he was recently recognized as the Illinois VFW Teacher of the Year 6-8th Grade. This award was even more special to Ryan because it was from the VFW. As he said, “To receive an award from true heroes is more than I could have hoped for.”
The photo shows Ryan receiving his award from VFW state commander Jules Spindler at an assembly held at his school on February 24th.
Congratulations Ryan — Honor Flight Chicago is proud of you!
___________
Donate. Volunteer. Sign Up a Vet.
Visit http://honorflightchicago.org
Or call 773.227.VETS (8387)
