Veterans Day breakfast set for Saturday, Nov. 11
Veterans and a guest are invited to attend the 11th Veterans Day breakfast on Saturday, November 11, 2023 held by Freedom Honor Flight and UW-La Crosse Athletics Department.
Saturday, November 11 | 7:30-10:30 a.m.
UW-La Crosse Mitchell Hall Fieldhouse
The morning will include entertainment from the Screaming Eagles Marching Band from 8-9:15 a.m., followed by a program beginning at 9:45 a.m. with keynote speaker Daniel L. Pulvermacher, Assistant Adjutant General for Readiness and Training for the Wisconsin Army National Guard.
Free parking is available on the day of the event in Lot C2, directly across from Mitchell Hall, next to the stadium. No RSVP is required. All veterans and a guest are welcome!
Captain Charlie Plumb, POW survivor to speak at Viterbo University
Hear history first-hand at Viterbo University’s Ethics Lecture series Wednesday, October 11 from 7 to 9 pm. During the “Who Packs Your Parachute” event, Vietnam POW survivor and Purple Heart recipient Captain Charlie Plumb will speak on his experiences of service and resilience through difficult situations.
Viterbo University Fine Arts Center Main Theatre
900 Viterbo Drive, La Crosse, Wisconsin
No RSVP required
Freedom Honor Flight takes off again September 16
Organizers are preparing for Freedom Honor Flight’s 29th trip to honor veterans by flying them to Washington D.C., to see the memorials built in their honor. Since the organization was founded in 2008, Freedom Honor Flight has flown more than 2,500 veterans to our nation’s capital. The single-day itinerary includes a welcome in Washington, D.C., and visits typically include the WWII Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and other sites via luxury motorcoaches.
Eager to fly on Saturday, September 16 are the 103 veterans from the Vietnam Era and 3 Korean Era veterans. They fly for free, accompanied by volunteer guardians who pay their own way to assist the veterans on this “trip of a lifetime.”
Accompanying the veterans are two physicians and four paramedics from Mayo Clinic Health System and Gundersen Health System, all out of the La Crosse area. Both health systems have been longtime supporters of Freedom Honor Flight, providing the paid services of the medical professionals at no charge to the organization, plus paying for their flights. Many honor flight veterans are elderly and depend on this medical care to have a safe and comfortable experience.
The public is welcome at the morning sendoff and the evening welcome home ceremonies. Ample parking is available with shuttle service, provided for this flight by Holmen Knights of Columbus volunteers. All ground activities are held at Colgan Air, Hangar 4, La Crosse Airport.
In the morning, hangar doors open at 5:30 a.m. A brief ceremony at approximately 6:15 a.m. precedes the American Airlines charter flight, set to depart at 6:50 a.m. The popular welcome home ceremony features members of the Winona Senior High School marching band. Hangar doors open at 7:30 p.m. The flight is expected to return between 9 and 10 p.m.
Harmony Under the Stars Concert set for August 8
Enjoy great music while supporting our veterans!
The Harmony Under the Stars Concert featuring the La Crosse Coulee Chordsmen is set for August 8 at the bandshell in Riverside Park. Concert starts at 7 pm. Admission is free with an intermission collection benefiting Freedom Honor Flight.
About the La Crosse Coulee Chordsmen
Formed in January of 2021, barbershop quartet Coulee Classic is based out of La Crosse, Wisconsin. This acapella singing group strives for energetic, authentic, and entertaining performance with freely produced vocals and tons of ringing chords. They won the Land O’ Lakes district contest in October of 2021.
Repertoire ranges from straight-on classic barbershop to country-cover-bar-songs to vocal jazz to traditional choral, and more. Find them on stage at a formal performance or find them singing for drinks at a local tavern; this group of diverse personalities brings audiences of all types together by doing what they love – connecting through harmony.
Freedom Honor Flight returns to the skies on Saturday, May 7
Organizers are preparing for Freedom Honor Flight’s 26th trip to honor veterans by flying them to Washington D.C., to see the memorials built in their honor. The single-day itinerary includes a welcome in Washington, D.C., and visits typically include the WWII Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and other sites via luxury motorcoaches.
Eager to fly are the 97 veterans from the Vietnam Era, nine Korean Era veterans and one World War II veteran slated for the trip. The veterans fly for free, accompanied by volunteer guardians who pay their own way to assist the veterans on this “trip of a lifetime.”
As with every Freedom Honor Flight, accompanying the veterans are a physician and four paramedics from Gundersen Health System and a physician from Mayo Clinic Health System, all out of the La Crosse area. Both health systems have been longtime supporters of Freedom Honor Flight, providing the paid services of the medical professionals at no charge to the organization, plus paying for their flights. Many honor flight veterans are elderly and depend on this medical care to have a safe and comfortable experience.
The public is welcome at the morning sendoff and the evening welcome home ceremonies. Ample parking is available with shuttle service, provided for this flight by UPS employee volunteers. All ground activities are held at Colgan Air, Hangar 4, La Crosse Airport.
In the morning, hangar doors open at 5 a.m. A brief ceremony precedes the American Airlines charter flight, set to depart at 6:55 a.m. The popular welcome home ceremony features fireworks by the La Crosse Skyrockers and the Westby High School Marching Band, a special treat considering this flight has some veterans from Westby. Hangar doors open at 7 p.m. The flight is expected to return between 9 and 10 p.m.
Freedom Honor Flight is the first Wisconsin affiliate of the national network of Honor Flight organizations. The hub, based in La Crosse, serves 30 counties in western Wisconsin, southeast Minnesota and northern Iowa. The group’s mission is to organize and fly groups of veterans to Washington D.C. to visit the war memorials that stand in their honor. The group receives no government funding and depends on donations, which are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.
