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Herald photo by Andy Goodell/World War II veteran Lawrence Everett of rural Mahaska County took part in an honor flight in August. Two more are scheduled for Iowa veterans in the coming weeks.

October 6, 2009

Hy-Vee sponsored Honor Flight to take off in November

By ANDY GOODELL The Oskaloosa Herald Tue Oct 06, 2009, 09:39 AM CDT

OSKALOOSA — It’s a flight they’re willing to fund.

Hy-Vee Inc., of West Des Moines, will once again sponsor an Honor Flight for World War II veterans. The company recently donated $250,000 to the Central Iowa Honor Flight Committee so that hundreds of veterans will be able to fly to Washington, D.C., to visit war memorials Nov. 4. Casey’s General Stores also pledged the same amount for a flight to take place Oct. 13.

Dan Fuller, Oskaloosa Hy-Vee store director, said he’s proud to work for a company that places such great value on veterans. He said the number of customers who have personally thanked him for what Hy-Vee has done numbers in the hundreds. Those who have offered their thanks include veterans of all foreign wars from World War II onward, noted Fuller.

“I didn’t have a ton to do with this, but I feel lucky to work for a company that does good things like this all the time,” said Fuller.

World War II Veteran Lawrence Everett, of rural Mahaska County, knows full well the importance of participating in an Honor Flight. Everett was one of about 350 veterans who were on board for the Hy-Vee-sponsored Honor Flight Aug. 11.

The one-day trip to the nation’s capital found Everett and other veterans flying to Washington, D.C., and back in just over a 24-hour period. Everett, who served as a bombardier on 29 missions over Germany, said the whirlwind schedule was worth it. Obviously Everett was there to see the World War II Memorial, but he said he was equally impressed with those dedicated to other foreign wars.

“I was deeply impressed with the Korean War memorial and the Vietnam one,” said Everett.

Former Republican Sen. Bob Dole met Everett and others at the World War II memorial, Everett said. It was there Dole thanked his fellow veterans for their service. Everett said he was glad to have had an opportunity to take a photo alongside Dole.

Aside from his positive experience in Washington, D.C., Everett said getting to and from the capital proved fulfilling, as well. Everett said the dinner held in his and other veterans’ honor the night before the flight was excellent and there were more than 50 additional people on board the flight to help those veterans in need of extra care.

Once on the plane, Everett and the 350 or so other veterans exchanged stories of their unique experiences during their time of service.

“I got the experience of visiting with different ones about what they did,” said Everett. “I met a few new friends. One was at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese bombed that out.”

Fuller and Everett said the Honor Flights do more than just offer veterans an opportunity to see America’s war memorials with their own eyes. They highlight the contributions a generation of Americans made that younger people may take for granted.

“So many young people don’t know anything about World War II,” Everett said. “This is a good way to bring it out.”

Although the Casey’s General Stores-sponsored Honor Flight is full, applications are still being accepted for Hy-Vee’s Nov. 4 flight. For more information, visit the Central Iowa Honor Flight Web site at www.centraliowahonorflight.org.

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Herald City Editor Andy Goodell can be reached at news2@oskyherald.com