APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – Storms may have ended the event far earlier than organizers had hoped; however, Mother Nature’s defiance didn’t stop donations from reaching great heights to pay for Honor Flights.
These Old Glory Honor Flights are designed to take veterans on a trip to Washington, D.C., for a chance to visit the nation’s capital and see some of the memorials and spaces dedicated to their branch and where they served.
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Unfortunately, the weather forced organizers to cancel the event early in the afternoon, before it even kicked off.
“This was a very difficult decision to make,” Executive Director Diane MacDonald of Old Glory Honor Flight said in a release. “However, our first mission is always the safety of our veterans, their families, and the event participants.”
Organizers said that even though it was cut short, the event raised about $100,000 to fund Honor Flights for local veterans in northeast Wisconsin. For reference, last year’s event raised over $150,000. Each flight costs roughly $100,000 and brings 100 veterans per mission.
Before the decision to cancel was made, MacDonald spoke with Local 5, citing the importance of the event as it gives back to those who gave back to all of us through service.
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“The real winners are our veterans, all the money raised [is] to send our vets to Washington, D.C. on those Old Glory Honor Flights,” MacDonald said.
No plans to reschedule have been announced at this time.
