News release from Honor Flight Northeast Indiana:
April Flight Brings Change to HFNEI Leadership
(March 28, 2016) – Honor Flight Northeast Indiana (HFNEI) will make its 19th flight to Washington D.C. on Wednesday, April 27th.
HFNEI President Bob Myer states “Although we thought we had pretty much exhausted our WWII applications, we are very excited that we will have 50 well-deserving WWII Veterans on our April Flight. This is double the number we had on our last flight.” Honor Flight has flown over 1200 WWII Veterans to Washington D.C. since the group’s inaugural trip in May 2009.
Flight #19 includes one married couple who both served in the Korean War, and one veteran who served in both WWII and Korea. There will also be three additional female Veterans on board, all from WWII. A 98 year old Veteran will also be participating.
The spring flights bring a change to HFNEI in their leadership. Current President Bob Myer and his wife Sandie, have announced their intention to resign their board positions. Both plan to stay heavily involved as volunteers for Honor Flight. At a board meeting last week, Dennis Covert was voted in as new President. This change will become effective June 1. Covert will train with Myer during the spring flights.
Myer was a fighter pilot who retired as a Colonel after 32 years of active service with the Air National Guard. He and Sandie have been involved with HFNEI for six years. Bob took the helm as President in 2012. Covert is a Navy combat veteran of the Vietnam War and has been involved with Honor Flight Northeast Indiana for five years. Mr. Covert has traveled on the last 14 Honor Flights from Fort Wayne as a guardian, bus leader, or assistant trip leader.
The veterans and volunteer guardians will gather at the 122nd Air National Guard Fighter Wing at 6:00 a.m. with take-off projected to be at 8:30 a.m. Returning home, the community is encouraged to patriotically welcome the veterans in the Main Terminal of the Fort Wayne International Airport the evening of April 27. Return time is tentative, but expected to be at approximately 8:30 p.m. More information regarding the public’s participation and return timing will be shared on the group’s Facebook page at HFNEI.
95% of all donations go directly towards the veterans’ trips. Honor Flight NE Indiana, Inc. is a volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. It is Honor Flight Northeast Indiana’s mission to act quickly to serve those who would still like to have the opportunity to see this memorial that was built in their honor before it is too late.
*Honor Flight Northeast Indiana Inc. is not endorsed or funded by the Indiana Air National Guard.