Flag City Honor Flight able to add 2nd D.C. trip

Increase in donations gives Findlay group needed boost

12/9/2016

FINDLAY — Increased donations will allow Flag City Honor Flight to add a second trip in 2017, giving northwest Ohio veterans another chance to visit memorials in Washington.

The Findlay-based group has become the area’s honor flight hub since Honor Flight Northwest Ohio ended operations in 2014. The doubled capacity will allow the organization to fly about 170 veterans, with one flight in June and another in September, said flight director Deb Wickerham.

When the northwest Ohio group closed down, leaders said the program had completed its mission by serving nearly all surviving World War II veterans in the region.

Flag City leaders say they plan to keep conducting flights until every veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars can go. The majority of passengers on last year’s flight were Korean War veterans.

“I think it’s important to keep it going because there are still veterans that need to go,” Ms. Wickerham said. “I think they are hearing more that their friends are flying, and they are thinking they better get their names in.”

The organization’s budget for 2017 is about $150,000. They receive $25,000 from Marathon Petroleum and $30,000 from Ohio Logistics, along with a series of other donations. This year, Gilmore Jasion Mahler — which has offices in Maumee and Findlay — decided to start a fund-raiser that would benefit a Findlay organization.

Findlay Mayor Lydia Mihalik recommended Flag City, and so proceeds from the company’s November’s Carnevale event were directed to the flights. The company raised $43,000.

Susan Ross Wells, marketing manager of Gilmore Jasion Mahler, said the company had no idea how much money it would raise, and were thrilled at the result.

“The support for veterans in Findlay is palpable,” she said.

Flag City typically serves veterans from northwest Ohio, southern Michigan, and eastern Indiana, but they’ve had veterans from elsewhere, and try not to turn anyone away, Ms. Wickerham said. There is, however, a waiting list for flights.

Since 2010, Flag City has completed seven flights to Washington, with more than 500 veterans. Flights depart from Toledo Express Airport. More information about the flights, and on how to reserve a spot, can be found online at flagcityhonorflight.org.

Contact Nolan Rosenkrans at: nrosenkrans@theblade.com or 419-724-6086, or on Twitter @NolanRosenkrans.