Southeast Florida Honor Flight will be saluting local World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans with the help of the community through air and car parades in two locations on the same day, Saturday, Oct. 24.
Because the organization had to cancel all four of its regularly scheduled Honor Flights in 2020 due to the virus, the nonprofit wanted to do something special not only for those veterans who could not take their trip this year, but also for every veteran on the waiting list, which tops 500 veterans.
The event will take place in two ends of the organization’s service area — one in Port St. Lucie and one in Boynton Beach. All veterans on the waiting list are being invited to select the location most convenient for them. Once situated in their VIP parking line-up, they will witness a fly-by salute made up of local private pilots in an air parade, followed by a car parade tribute by local citizens.
The public is encouraged to take part in the event by land or by air, to help show the veterans they are appreciated for their service to the country.
For the drive-by portion of the event, everyone is invited to come drive in the parade at either location to cheer the veterans. Cars, trucks and motorcycles are welcomed and are encouraged to arrive decked out with flags, signs of thanks, and red, white and blue.
In Boynton Beach, car participants should arrive at 10:30 a.m. at Christ Fellowship Church at 801 N. Congress Avenue at the Boynton Beach Mall. Use the Old Boynton Road entrance to the mall. Volunteers will direct car participants to the staging area and parade path. The air flyover will begin at 11:15 a.m. The car parade will begin at 11:45 a.m.
Pilots with airplanes are also encouraged to take part in the fly-by portion of the event. All interested pilots should call Eric Stein at (772) 446-2291 by Oct .18 for flight instructions.
The organization asks all ground participants to respect current virus precautionary measures. Also, it is requested that there be no political signage of any kind.
Southeast Florida Honor Flight normally flies local veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit and reflect at the memorials built to honor their service and sacrifices, four times per year. Veterans can apply to fly for this day of honor at www.honorflightsefl.org. Donations to the organization are currently being matched dollar-for-dollar by an anonymous guardian donor up to $10,000 through Nov. 15. Donations can be made at www.honorflightsefl.org/donate-today.
The next scheduled Honor Flights out of PBIA are April 10 and May 15, 2021.
For more information on the Oct. 24 tribute events, e-mail info@honorflightsefl.org or call (855) FLY-A-VET.
