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Charitable Giving: Honor Flight

posted by TrueNorth Companies on Friday, April 7, 2017

"We all can't be heroes, some of us have to stand on the sidewalk and clap as they go by" - Will Rogers

TrueNorth's charitable cause for the month of April is the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight, a local chapter of the "non-profit organization dedicated to providing veterans with honor and closure." Honor Flight relies on donations to make flight trips happen for WWII, Korea, and Vietnam War veterans. 

About Honor Flight:

The first honor flight took place in May 2005 with six small planes and 12 veteran soldiers.  The network was founded as a means to help WWII veteran soldiers visit the monument erected in Washington D.C. to commemorate their sacrifices during the war.  By the end of 2005, the Honor Flight program had transported 137 veterans to the memorial.  This program eventually evolved into the Honor Flight Network, with regional chapters based throughout the United States.

Some facts about Eastern Iowa Honor Flight:

• Eastern Iowa Honor Flight proudly serves veterans of Linn, Jones, Benton, South Tama, Iowa, Johnson, Marshall, Jasper, Poweshiek and Washington counties in the state of Iowa. Veterans from surrounding areas are also welcome to participate in the regional network if they are able to fly out of the Eastern Iowa Airport.  WWII and terminally ill veterans receive top priority when scheduling honor flights. 
• Since Eastern Iowa Honor Flight began in 2009, the program has transported more than 1500 Iowa veterans from Cedar Rapids to Washington D.C. 
• The Honor flight trip includes visits to the following memorials: WWII Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, USMC Memorial, USAF Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.  The WWII veterans are also taken on a city tour where they are able to see the Smithsonian, Capitol, White House and various other historical buildings.

How TrueNorth Plans to Help: 

TrueNorth's fundraising goal for the month of April is to raise enough money from our staff and producers to send four veterans on Honor Flight trips. In order to achieve our goal, we've put together a pretty exciting month: 

• We'll kick off our fundraising efforts with a delicious spring-themed bake sale and sundae bar that TrueNorth Employee Benefits has graciously offered to host for staff. 
• The following week, TrueNorth employees will have a chance to dine with local veterans. The veterans in attendance will share their Honor Flight experience. 
• As always, you can count on seeing the TrueNorth team sporting denim the last Wednesday in April, as the office will be partaking in our "Casual for a Cause" day.  All proceeds collected from denim-wearing employees will benefit The Eastern Iowa Honor Flight. 

How You Can Help:  

Regardless of your location, there are many ways that you can contribute to your local Honor Flight program. You can find a comprehensive list of Regional Honor Flight Hubs at the Honor Flight website:   

Donate | consider supporting your local Honor Flight hub.  The program is a non-profit 501(C)3 organization that receives no government funding and relies solely on individual, corporate, and organizational donations. Out of principle, Honor Flight does not accept donations from WWII veterans, as they have given enough.  Learn more about donating here. 

  Donate Here  

Write a letter to a vet | Honor Flight also provides you with an opportunity to personally thank veterans for their service. During the flight home, each veteran is given a large envelope filled with letters written especially for them by family, school children, and members of the community. These letters often become a personal keepsake for them.  Find out more about how you can contribute here. 

Nominate a veteran |applications can be found on the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight website.

At TrueNorth, our culture is front and center in everything we do. 

We have created a one of a kind environment where a group of professionals and entrepreneurs who share their passions for community, family & teamwork have come together to make a difference for each other and our clients. We take pride in building trust in TrueNorth, both internally and externally.  Find out more about TrueNorth's History and Culture here.