COLUMBIA, SC (WACH, AP) - A program that gives World War II veterans a chance to visit a memorial in their honor in Washington, D.C. is getting a major financial boost.
On Friday, the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina committted $60,000 to the Honor Flight program to pay for the costs of a April flight to the World War II memorial. This arrangement marks the first time in the history of Honor Flight of South Carolina that a single organization has sponsored an entire trip.
More than 100 World War II veterans will be able to flying to Washington, D.C., to see the monument dedicated to their service through the gift.
"As we think about all of the many things we’re grateful for this Thanksgiving weekend, this is an ideal time for South Carolina’s cooperative family to say ‘thank you’ to an entire generation of real heroes," said Mike Couick, president and CEO of Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina. "We’re extremely proud to be able make this unprecedented commitment on their behalf."
The Honor Flight of South Carolina was launched in 2008 by Columbia businessman Bill Dukes. Since its founding, the organization has arranged 11 day-trips to the nation’s capital, giving more than 1,000 veterans the chance to experience the World War II Memorial.
"This partnership is incredibly exciting for us," said Dukes. "This gives us a huge opportunity to reach a group of veterans in non-urban areas who may not have heard of Honor Flight. Being able to work with a group like the co-op’s, who have such a strong community presence in many of our small towns, is exactly what our organization needed right now."
Dukes, who’s travelled on nearly a dozen Honor flights, says the timing of Friday’s announcement comes at a critical time. The organization’s chairman and president says that with each passing month there are fewer veterans who are available to travel, pointing out their average age is more than 88-years-old.
South Carolina's Office of Veterans' Affairs estimates there are about 35,000 veterans of World War II living in the state.
The cooperatives serve about 1.5 million people in all 46 counties in the state. They are looking in particular for veterans from rural areas who may not have been able to take past flights.
To help increase awareness about the opportunity being offered to the region's World War II veterans, the Electric Cooperatives have created an online application for the April 11 flight. Printed applications will be also be available in the January edition of "South Carolina Living" magazine.
(The Associated press contributed to this report.)
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