Freedom Honor Flight announces Kwik Trip to sponsor next mission

Freedom Honor Flight will hold its fourth mission on May 8, 2010. The flight will transport 100 veterans, 50 volunteer guardians plus a volunteer medical crew to Washington DC to allow the veterans to see the memorials that stand in their honor.

Making this flight possible is a generous donation by Kwik Trip, Inc. At a joint news conference today, Freedom Honor Flight officials accepted a check from Kwik Trip, Inc. The flight will be known as the Kwik Trip Freedom Honor Flight.

Veterans and guardians assigned to the May 8 Kwik Trip Freedom Honor Flight will be notified by officials by March 15.

With the May flight, Freedom Honor Flight will have taken more than 400 area WWII veterans to Washington DC. After the May flight, there will still be more than 300 WWII veterans remaining on the waiting list. The youngest WWII veterans are in their eighties.

To help ensure each veteran on the waiting list, plus others who apply in the future, are able to participate in an Honor Flight, Kwik Trip, Tobacco Outlet, Hearty Platter and Kwik Star stores in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin will serve as collection sites for donations during a special fundraising effort held February 12 to 25.

Money raised through the Kwik Trip, Inc. fundraiser will benefit the hub that serves the area in which the store is located. Freedom Honor Flight, based in La Crosse, serves veterans in 20 counties in western Wisconsin, southeast Minnesota and northern Iowa. Other hubs receiving donations from Kwik Trip stores in their areas are Stars & Stripes Honor Flight out of Milwaukee, Old Glory Honor Flight out of Appleton, Never Forgotten Honor Flight out of Wausau, Badger Honor Flight out of Madison and other hubs in Iowa and Minnesota not covered by Freedom Honor Flight.

People who wish to support Freedom Honor Flight can donate at their local Kwik Trip, Tobacco Outlet, Hearty Platter and Kwik Star stores during the fundraising campaign, February 12 to 25, or anytime online at www.freedomhonorflight.org.

Veterans who wish to participate and guardians who wish to volunteer (guardians pay $500 for their travel expenses) can apply on the website or at local veterans’ organizations.