March to the Cross fundraiser for Freedom Honor Flight
Help support Freedom Honor Flight and our mission to fly veterans to Washington, D.C. to see the memorials built in their honor at the inaugural March to the Cross. It’s a community fundraising challenge, hosted by the Holmen Knights of Columbus, to honor our local veterans and raise funds for our organization.
The event takes place Saturday, April 18, beginning at 10 a.m. in Holmen.
WALK AT HOLMEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
10-11 am – Check-in/Registration
11 am – Kickoff Celebration
11:15 am – Walk Begins
1:00 pm – Walk Ends
BAGS TOURNAMENT AND BASKET RAFFLE AT FEATURES IN HOLMEN
1-1:30 pm – Team check-in
1:30 pm – Bags Tournament begins
1:30 to 4:00 pm – Basket Raffle (Winners announced at 4 pm)
To learn more about the event and to donate, visit this website.
Pat Stephens Memorial Flight to take off April 25 from La Crosse
Freedom Honor Flight will make two trips to Washington, D.C. in 2026, flying veterans to see the memorials built in their honor. The spring flight is set to take off Saturday, April 25 while the date for the fall trip is still being finalized.
The spring mission will be known as the “Pat Stephens Memorial Flight,” honoring the hub’s former president and longtime board member. Stephens was a community fixture who passed away unexpectedly in early February as planning for this year’s flights was already well underway. “We remember Pat for his relentless commitment to our veterans and the incredible legacy that has touched so many in our community,” said current Freedom Honor Flight Board President Dave Larsen. “His passion and dedication truly shaped what this organization has become.”
Since the Freedom Honor Flight hub was founded in 2008, it has flown more than 3,000 veterans to our nation’s capital. The organization is currently flying veterans of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, with the majority representing the Vietnam era. The single-day itinerary includes a welcome in Washington, D.C., and visits typically include the WWII Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and other sites via luxury motorcoaches.
With more than 350 veterans currently on a waitlist to fly from La Crosse, the organization faces rising costs, with each flight requiring around $160,000 to operate. “The community support has been nothing short of amazing, but we’re at a point where future flights aren’t guaranteed,” said Larsen. “We will need all the help we can get so we can finish our mission of ensuring every veteran has the chance to take this trip. We encourage everyone to check out our website to find out how they can support our local heroes.”
Support Freedom Honor Flight by eating at Culver's of La Crosse on Veterans Day
La Crosse, Wis. – Here’s an easy way for you to support our veterans and enjoy a delicious meal from a Midwest staple. Freedom Honor Flight is holding a fundraiser at Culver’s of La Crosse on Veterans Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11.
Between 5-7 p.m. at the Culver’s on Mormon Coulee Road in La Crosse, 10% of all sales will go to support our mission at Freedom Honor Flight.
Thank you for your support!
13th Annual Freedom Honor Flight Veterans Day breakfast
LA CROSSE, Wis. – Veterans will be honored for their service at the 13th Annual Veterans Day breakfast in La Crosse. Veterans and their families are invited to attend the free breakfast on Tuesday, Nov. 11, hosted by Freedom Honor Flight and the UW-La Crosse Athletics Department. Student-athletes will serve breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. at the UWL Fieldhouse in Mitchell Hall.
The morning will include entertainment from the UW-La Crosse Hoefer Brass Quintet and a program beginning at 8:45 a.m. with featured speaker Rick Trietley, current president of Viterbo University and a retired Lt. Col. who spent 22 years in the Army.
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 their families are welcome!
Freedom Honor Flight 33 takes off Saturday, September 13, carrying Korean and Vietnam War veterans
2025 – Organizers are preparing for the 33rd Freedom Honor Flight on Saturday, which will 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 3,000 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, Lincoln Memorial, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and other sites via luxury motorcoaches.
Eager flyers include one Korean War era veteran and 100 veterans from the Vietnam War era. They fly for free, joined by volunteer guardians who pay their own way to assist the veterans on this “trip of a lifetime.”
The public is welcome at the morning sendoff and evening welcome-home ceremonies. All ground activities are held at Colgan Air, Hangar 4, La Crosse Airport. Ample parking and a shuttle service are available.
For the morning sendoff, 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 the UWL Screaming Eagles Marching Band. Hangar doors open at 7:30 p.m. The flight is expected to return between 9 and 10 p.m.
Freedom Honor Flight relies solely on the public’s generosity and urgently needs help to continue operating these flights. “We are incredibly grateful for the support which has kept us going for the past 17 years. But the reality is, we won’t be able to finish our mission of flying all veterans on our waitlist without more funds. We encourage the public to visit our website, freedomhonorflight.org, to make a donation today,” said Freedom Honor Flight Board President Pat Stephens.
