Veterans 4, an area group of veterans, presented a check for $8,400 to Villages Honor Flight to help underwrite costs of the 2014 Honor Flights to Washington D.C. for area veterans.
The funds represent the proceeds from a golf tournament held Nov. 11 at the Links of Spruce Creek South.
“Annually a group of military veterans come together on Veterans Day and honor the day by raising funds for an area charity through a golf outing. We believe this is a respectful way to meaningfully show our continued support for the country for which we proudly served. This year the group selected Villages Honor Flight to be the beneficiary of our efforts. As veterans ourselves, as were many who participated, it is an honor to give back to those who sacrificed so much to preserve our freedom. We take great pride in knowing that the funds will go directly to facilitate many overdue visits to Washington for our senior veteran compatriots. Many of our military never received a proper show of appreciation for what they did and this gives us the opportunity to partake in that experience with them. They truly did save the world,” said Glenn Allen and Steve Pryor, organizers of the event.
Jerry Lemerise, an event participant and flight guardian on several previous Villages Honor Flights, pointed out that Villages Honor Flight is an all-volunteer organization, receives no outside funding, and relies upon donations and contributions in order to carry out its mission.
“This gift and others like it are truly the life blood which sustains Villages Honor Flight. We are most appreciative that Veterans 4, all of its sponsors and participants undertook this tribute to thank all veterans for their service and favored us with the financial proceeds,” said Lemerise.
Villages Honor Flight is a hub of the National Honor Flight Network, a non-profit organization created solely to honor America’s veterans for their sacrifices. Villages Honor Flight serves veterans in Lake, Sumter, Marion, Hernando and Citrus Counties. More than 275 veterans have flown on a Villages Honor Flight. Veterans are flown, without expense to them, to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials established in their honor and visit Arlington National Cemetery to witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Each veteran is accompanied on the flight by a guardian to assist them and the guardians pay their own way.
