Goodwill Hosts Quarterly Woodlawn Chamber Luncheon Meeting and Presents Program on “Honor Flightâ€
Ohio Valley Goodwill was pleased to serve as the host location for the first 2014 monthly meeting of the Woodlawn Chamber of Commerce. The chamber group meeting hosted speaker Ken Ludwig, who served as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps from 1966 to 1970. He is an Ambassador of the Honor Flight Tri-State, a Cincinnati based, non-profit organization created to honor America’s veterans for their many sacrifices by providing them a free trip to visit their Memorials in Washington, D.C.
Beginning with WWII veterans and followed by veterans of the Korean War, Honor Flight is dedicated to making a dream come true for these ordinary people who gave up so much for the rest of the nation. Begun in 2005, The Honor Flight Network has grown to over 100 hubs and flown more than 80,000 veterans to see their Memorials in our nation’s capital.
L to R: Paul Lambert, Chamber President, Ken Ludwig, Speaker, Jackie Connor, Chamber.
The National World War II Memorial was dedicated on May 29, 2004. Regrettably, the overwhelming majority of the ” Greatest Generation” ““ now mostly in the 80’s and 90’s will pass away without ever visiting the Memorial that they have waited to see. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, an estimated 640 WWII veterans die each day. Honor Flight continues to do whatever it takes to fulfill the dreams of our veterans and help or heroes travel absolutely free. Honor Flight serves as a way for our very important veterans to be able to see first-hand these wonderful memorials.
The inaugural Honor Flight took place in May of 2005. Six small planes flew out of Springfield, Ohio taking twelve WWII veterans on a visit to the memorial in Washington, DC. In August of 2005, an ever-expanding waiting list of veterans led the transition to commercial airline carriers with the goal of accommodating as many veterans as possible. Partnering with HonorAir in Hendersonville, North Carolina, the Honor Flight Network was formed. Today, Honor Flight continues to work aggressively to expand its programs to other cities across the nation.
The Woodlawn Chamber was pleased to present such a worthwhile and informative program. Ohio Valley Goodwill was happy to have been the host location for the chamber event. Goodwill’s Director of PR and Marketing, George Palmer has served on the Board of Directors for the Woodlawn Chamber of Commerce for the past six years and has been active in planning programs and events for the chamber. As long-time leader in the local business community, Ohio Valley Goodwill is committed to sponsoring events that will increase the overall vitality of the business economy. Support from the community helps to assist Ohio Valley Goodwill with its mission to provide programs and services for men and women with disabilities and our nation’s veterans. Goodwill appreciates the support it receives from the local community!
