Marthasville students raise funds for Honor Flight

Posted 11/7/19

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Marthasville students raise funds for Honor Flight

Posted Thursday, November 7, 2019 6:10 pm

Students at Marthasville Elementary School are taking on a challenge to help send two veterans on an upcoming Honor Flight.“Any time you can bridge the gap between an older person and a younger person, it is enriching for both of them,” said Cindy Speer, school guidance counselor.Honor Flight is a nonprofit program designed to send as many veterans as possible to Washington, D.C., free of charge, to visit national war memorials honoring their service during World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars.Veterans are offered the trips and tours which are paid for through donations.Speer explained the opportunity students have to help veterans participate in Honor Flight during the recent Veterans Day assembly.“I’d like them to use their resources to give back,” said Speer. “Kids have big hearts. I want them to be able to show an appreciation for what our veterans have done for us.”Speer said the original goal is to raise $500, but she would like to shoot for $1,000. As part of the students’ Positive Behavior Support program, they will be able to choose Honor Flight instead of a behavior reward.When a student shows good behavior, Speer said they earn tickets that can be spent at the school store. She said the tickets are worth about 10 cents each. She is encouraging the 200 students at Marthasville Elementary to donate 25 tickets each in lieu of purchasing something for themselves.The community also is encouraged to donate to the program. So far, $375 has been collected toward the goal of $500. Students will be involved in tracking the donations. They will get updates to the progress in their morning announcements.Speer said this is an excellent opportunity for people to donate funds in memory of veterans in their families.“I would really like a relative of our students to go on the Honor Flight,” said Speer. “The students can nominate a veteran and then fill out an application. I would like the students to be able to tell me in their own words why their veteran should deserve to go.”Speer hopes to travel with the veteran as a “guardian” on a May flight. She will report back to the students when they return to school next fall.The first Honor Flight took place in May of 2005. Nearly 160,000 veterans have made trip since then. The organization’s priority is to send World War II veterans first. More than 600 World War II veterans die each day.The Franklin County Honor Flight is helping Speer coordinate the Honor Flight for the school’s veterans.To find out more about the organization, visit fchonorflight.org. To help these students on their mission to help veterans, call the school at 636-433-2211.

Local veterans watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington National Cemetery during a 2010 Honor Flight. Cindy Gladden photo.