Both groups will participate in a parade and dinner the afternoon and evening before their flights. A parade [image-nocss] Monday afternoon will carry the Hy-Vee/Casey's group from the Holiday Inn in Des Moines, Iowa, through the Iowa State Fairgrounds and on to Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa,for dinner. A similar parade will Wednesday afternoon will honor veterans on Knapp's Honor Flight.
Both groups will board early morning chartered flights for the trip to Washington and return later the same day.Casey's and Hy-Vee are sharing the $250,000 cost of transporting the veterans to Washington to visit the nation's monuments honoring their military service.
Hy-Vee sponsored Honor Flights in August and November of last year, and Casey's sponsored a flight in October. At the conclusion of the third flight, organizers thought they had accommodated all World War II veterans from central Iowa who wished to make the trip. But the applications just kept coming, Jeff Ballenger, Central Iowa Honor Flight coordinator, said when the flight was announced.
"Casey's and Hy-Vee both indicated their willingness to continue supporting the program," hesaid. "We are so pleased to have two great Iowa companies working together in service to our veterans."
Wes Snook, director of the Ankeny, Iowa, Hy-Vee store, said the company's experience with Central Iowa Honor Flight has led to similar partnerships between Hy-Vee stores and Honor Flight programs in other areas of the Midwest.
"When we first learned of the Honor Flight program a year ago, our immediate reaction was that every World War II veteran who wanted to make this trip should have the opportunity to do so," Snook said. "That's why we think it's so important to step forward with the funding and the volunteers to make this happen. These veterans willingly made sacrifices to secure our freedom, and this trip is just a small way of showing our thanks."
Mike Richardson, vice president of marketing for Ankeny-based Casey's, thanked Hy-Vee for laying the groundwork that led to Casey's involvement with Honor Flight. "The sponsorship of the Honor Flight was one of the most gratifying experiences I have ever personally participated in, and I know the employees of Casey's General Stores share the same feeling," Richardson said. "The letters, emails and phone calls of appreciation we received from the veterans just confirmed to me that they really are the greatest generation."
Ballenger noted that the Central Iowa Honor Flight organization is composed entirely of volunteers. Over the last two years, the organization has raised $1.4 million and sent nearly 1,800 World War II veterans to Washington. "It's the least we can do, to sacrifice one day of our lives to say 'thank you' for a lifetime of freedom,"he said.(Click the Download Now button below to view a larger image.)
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.