The next honor flight sendoff for Clinton County veterans will be on Monday, Sept. 8, at Standin' Proud Museum in Bartelso.
There will be around 25 Clinton County and area veterans during the next three honor flights to Washington, D.C. There are 11 veterans going on an honor flight out of Springfield on Sept. 9, five veterans flying out of Marion on Sept. 16, and nine veterans flying out of Springfield on Oct. 21.
A program will be held at noon at Standin' Proud Museum. At around 1:30 p.m., there will be a motorcade traveling through Bartelso, Germantown, Albers, and concluding on the west side of New Baden.
The honor flight ceremony will be hosted by Carl Huels, Kathy Rakers-Kampwerth and Clinton County Board member Greg Riechman.
"It has been great working with both Carl and Kathy," Riechman said. "Carl is the one who has basically made this all happen. And Kathy has done an amazing job working with the schools and getting the students to come out waving flags during the motorcade route. And Kathy has done a great job with all of the mail call stuff. It has been a pleasure to work with both of them."
Riechman said the Clinton County Sheriff's Department and all of the local law enforcement have been great to work with during the motorcade.
"All of the local law enforcement has just been great as we transition from one town to another," Riechman said.
There have been more than 100 Clinton County veterans participate in honor flights.
Those departing from Springfield go on the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight. The program allows the veterans to go to Washington, D.C., to see their memorials. The program serves veterans from World War II, the Korean era and the Vietnam Era.
The Land of Lincoln Flight is led by Steve Wheeler and Joan Bortolon.
"Steve and Joan from Springfield have been great to work with," Riechman said. "They have been great trying to get as many Clinton County veterans to go on the honor flights together as possible. It's great that these Clinton County veterans have been able to go on these honor flights together."
Those flying out of Marion will be part of the southern Illinois honor flight.
Honor Flight Network is a national nonprofit organization comprised of independent hubs working together to achieve the honor flight mission. While initially focused solely on America’s World War II era veterans, Honor Flight Network has expanded its mission to include those who served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War eras. The Honor Flight TLC program also honors veterans of any service era who are critically ill.
The veterans will see multiple monuments, the Air and Space Museum, Arlington National Cemetery, Tomb of the Unknowns and Changing of the Guard.
For more information on the Sept. 8 event, contact Carl Huels, Kathy Rakers Kamp-werth or Greg Riechman.
