Submitted by Falcon American Legion Dane R. Balcon 2008
Honor Flight of Southern Colorado is part of the Honor Flight Network, which is a national organization that honors veterans by sending them to Washington D.C., to visit memorials dedicated to their service and sacrifices. The national organization, which started in 2005, is comprised of independent hubs working together to achieve Honor Flight missions.
Volunteers help coordinate flights, bus trips, welcome-home ceremonies, place thousands of phone calls, etc. — all with the common goal to honor the nation’s heroes.
The veterans, including those from World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam, are rewarded with a three-day, all-expense paid trip to the capitol.
Honor Flight of Southern Colorado serves veterans from Douglas County to New Mexico.
On the latest mission at the end of April, 29 veterans from the Korean War and Vietnam were honored, said Mary Longshore, who has been with the Dane R. Balcon American Legion Post 2008 in Falcon since 2016. Longshore was a guest on the all women Honor Flight (Mission 16) in April 2023. Another local veteran, James Kendig from Elbert, went on Mission 15 in September 2022.
Many of these veterans never received the “welcome home honors” they deserved because of the anti-war sentiments of the 1960s and 1970s.
Honor Flight of Southern Colorado is hosting a fundraiser June 22 at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs called Boot, Bourbon and Brews. Honor Flight has partnered with JAKs — a veteran owned brewery in Falcon. Tickets are now on sale at https://e.givesmart.com/events/BCW/.
Read more about Honor Flight of Southern Colorado at http://www.honorflightso.co.net.
From the NFH: Thank you to all veterans for your service and dedication. Thank you to the families of veterans lost in combat for their ongoing commitment to the community and country.
