Central Missouri Honor Flight

Seven-year old Oliver Cardwell's summer lemonade stand is making a big difference in the lives of Jefferson City veterans this summer.  

With temperatures near 100 degrees Saturday, U.S. Veterans and other locals all showed up to cool off with a cup of Oliver's famous lemonade.

Oliver's grandparents are part of the Missouri Riders, the honor flight's motorcycle escorts, and helped spread the word about the lemonade stand.

Oliver has raised 653 dollars to date, enough to send two veterans to the memorial in Washington D.C.

See story on KOMU  link below..

http://www.komu.com/KOMU/d7e2017e-80ce-18b5-00fa-0004d8d229cb/e245803d-c0a8-4612-013f-a81c0997394c.html

09-30-10 17:01 CDT
Kingdom City- The Honor Flight riders had two missions this week:escort home the 11th Central Missouri Honor Flight, and honor four veterans who were not able to make the trip. About 75 riders pulled into the Bluff Creek Terrace in Columbia for a special tribute.

Some of the veterans were too sick to go, and another vet's wife was so ill that he didn't want to leave her.  So the Honor Flight riders presented the vets with a book about the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. and surrounded them to rev their engines...the next best thing to an Honor Flight.

Later that same night, 140 riders surrounded the Honor Flight buses in Kingdom City and escorted them into Columbia, where a cheering crowd awaited them.  KOMU 8's Sarah Hill will have a Sarah's Story on the Honor Flight riders on Monday, October 4th at 10 p.m. 

www.komu.com/KOMU/d7e22582-80ce-18b5-00da-1cf7368e40a3/647bb898-80ce-18b5-01cf-a057dc600a88.html

March 14, 2011

JEFFERSON CITY - Central MO Honor Flights will resume on April 5th.  Of the veterans who've flown on Central Missouri Honor flights, about 50 have already passed away. Most recently, Paul Schlapper of Odessa a couple weeks ago. For Mr. Schlapper and his family in Jefferson City, his honor flight came just in time.

"thank you for your service."
"you're going to have an incredible day."

inside this room are 80 American heroes.  the neighbor you never knew had a purple heart. The grandmother you
never knew was a marine.
In 2009, Paul Schlapper told us about his service in the army in Yokohama, Japan during World War II.

"I was in Japan before Macarthur was," Schlapper said.

Fellow World War II veteran Bill Feeler said it means so much more to go with the other veterans who feel the same way he does.

"I'm looking forward to seeing some of my old friends," Bob Hunter, another veteran, said.

Noraleen Hord of Jefferson City is a nurse, and is also accompanying her dad.

"I was afraid that he wouldn't get to come. He says I hope I don't have to wait till October because I may not make it," Hord said. "So, I was glad that they asked him to go in September. Not only are you a hero because you have served our country and fought for the freedom, but you are also our hero because you have always been a wonderful father and grandfather. We respect you and love you more than we will ever know."

Missouri is losing its World War II veterans at a rate of more than 20 a day. Paul Herman Schlapper passed away March 3rd at the age of 83.

You have an opportunity to welcome home veterans like Mr. Schlapper on April 5th at 10:30 pm at the Courtyard by Marriott off the Highway 63 AC exit in Columbia.

For some of these men and women, April 5th will be their very last welcome home.

Don't let a medical condition or physical limitation keep you from applying for a free Honor Flight.  You can get an application and Frequently Asked Questions here.  www.centralmissourihonorflight.com .  If your group is interested in a presentation about the Honor Flight program, please contact (573) 256-1930 . 

April 6, 2011