Planning is underway for Flight to Honor Mission #7. Mission #7 is set for April 26, 2022, and the council is looking to the community for volunteers to be guardians for the veterans who will be a part of Mission #7.
“The flight will depart from and return to Lakeland Linder International Airport for the visit to Washington D.C.,” said USAF Colonel (Ret.) and Chairman of the Polk County Veterans Council Gary Clark. “The purpose of the one-day program is to safely transport military veterans to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials erected in their honor for their service to our country, encourage the community to express their appreciation for their service and to reinforce the importance of service above self as a cornerstone of character.”
Flight to Honor Polk was established in January 2015 and is based in Polk County. However, any eligible veteran is welcome to apply for Flight to Honor flight. Priority is given to those with severe medical conditions, followed by World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans. All veterans who have not participated in a previous Honor Flight or Flight to Honor are eligible for the mission.
Veterans participating in the mission fly for free and are accompanied by a guardian for the day. Guardians are urged to apply for this mission. When selected to accompany a veteran, guardians are asked to donate $500 to help fund the mission.
“The mission is dependent on donations to fund the mission,” Clark said. “We are in great need of volunteers to be guardians for our veterans.”
Fundraising is underway to cover the cost of this effort through the Community Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) public charity serving Polk, Hardee and Highlands Counties in Central Florida.
The GiveWell Community Foundation Community Foundation holds more than 300 charitable funds established by individuals, families, organizations and private foundations and serves a wide variety of charitable services. For more than 20 years, the GiveWell Community Foundation and its fundholders have been investing in the future of our communities through impactful, philanthropic giving.
If you would like to be a guardian for Flight to Honor Mission #7, you can visit the Polk County Veteran Council’s website at www.polkveteranscouncil.com to complete the guardian volunteer application.
