Fundraiser Aims to Raise Funds to Send Vets on 'Once in a Lifetime' Trip to D.C.

United States and Honor Flight-Inland Empire veterans alike will be gathering soon to share military stories and relive their Honor Flight memories. On Feb. 16, Honor Flight-Inland Empire will host a special reunion and fundraiser, raising money to send local WWII veterans to a memorable trip to Washington D.C., where they will visit national monuments and see some of the country's most patriotic sites. "We want to send every WWII vet in the Inland Empire," said Honor Flight-Inland Empire application coordinator Marva X. The organization gathers private and public donations, hosts fundraisers and puts out flyers and other notices through the winter months to raise funds to send as many veterans as they can to the weekend trip to Washington, D.C., Marva explained. So far, the Inland Empire chapter of the national organization has been successful in sending dozens of veterans on these trips, she shared. In three years the chapter has raised funds for six separate trips to Washington. There's no set time the organization makes the trips - they send as many veterans at one time as they can afford to. "It costs about $700 for each veteran to go," she said. At a meeting in mid-January, the group's treasurer gave some good news. "We have enough to send 21 veterans and we were all so happy. That's way more this [time] than last," Marva said. The next trip is in May, and of the WWII veterans going, many are now in their 90s; one of the veterans is even 101 years old. They are accompanied by guardians - often these are family members - who pay their own way and are required to go through orientation before the trip. Guardians are assigned to up to five travelers and will help assist them around the city for the duration of the trip, Marva explained. "They have to be able to lift 50 to 100 pounds, because if some of the men need assistance getting into and out of wheelchairs and in and out of buses, someone needs to be there for that," Marva said. The travelers fly out of LAX on a Friday morning and take a non-stop flight to Baltimore before they are ushered to their hotel, where they are free to relax and enjoy dinner. On Saturday, the group travels the city by bus, visiting monuments including the WWII, Korea and Vietnam monuments. They then take a visit to Arlington National Cemetery and see the Lone Soldier monument among several others. Sometimes they have the opportunity to meet Congress members. Though it's a packed weekend, the returning veterans are all talk once they come home to Southern California. "These guys are energized and they're just amazed" Marva said. "They talk about their experience and how much fun they had. It's really a once-in-a-lifetime chance." Right now the organization is focused on sending WWII veterans but Marva, who receives all applications, says she's got piles of applicants who are veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars, and the organization would like to start sending these veterans on the trips, as well. February's upcoming fundraiser will raise funds to send more vets on a separate trip and invites past trip-goers to share their memories and life stories with each other and their families. The fundraiser will take place at the American Legion Hall, 848 South Lilac Street in Rialto, from 2 to 6 p.m. A light Italian meal will be served for $3 each and raffle prizes will be given away. For further information or to RSVP to this event, contact Marva at 909-580-7363 or by email at gigiluvs@sbcglobal.net with RSVP in the subject line by Feb. 9.