In the last 19 months, the central Kansas group has organized under the sponsorship of Central Prairie RC&D, which Curtis directs, raised $240,000 in donations and organized five trips to Washington, D.C. World War II veterans have been allowed to join these three-day trips at no cost. They're told the only money they'll need is for souvenirs as they travel to the World War II Memorial and other sites at the capital.
This fall, the Great Bend-based committee is reaching out to more veterans. "We have over 1,000 on the roster and we're trying to get the majority out this fall," Curtis said Saturday at a veterans' reception, held at the American Legion Argonne Post in Great Bend. A minimum of 600 veterans – and perhaps as many as 800 – will fly to D.C. this fall, he said.
The first group, possibly making the trip Sept. 21-23, will primarily include vets from Great Bend, Larned and Kinsley. If possible, their flight will leave from Great Bend Municipal Airport, but if they have to fly out of Salina a bus will be provided for that, Curtis said.
The trips aren't just for World War II veterans, although those are the ones getting free travel and priority status. Younger "guardians" help the vets on the trip and also see the sites, which include other national memorials, trips to the Smithsonian and Arlington National Cemetery, and a banquet attended (when possible) by Kansas Congressmen and by former Sen. Robert Dole.
Guardians pay $500 for the trip, but that's also a bargain for what's included, Curtis said, adding the committee works hard to keep the costs down. (Some 1,300 volunteers have helped with the project so far.) In addition to family members of the veterans, many young people are finding Honor Flights a rewarding service project.
Those waiting to make the trip learned more details on Saturday, when the Honor Flights committee held a veterans' reception at the American Legion post in Great Bend. Those who went on the last flight in June were there as well, as Curtis showed slides from that trip.
Lonnie Wright from Albert, a U.S. Air Force veteran of Pearl Harbor, and his wife Alberta, were part of that group. In addition to the things they saw, the Wrights said they were impressed with the respect showed to the veterans.
"I never felt so honored in my life," Mrs. Wright said. "Everywhere we stopped they thanked him for his service."
Three World War II veterans who haven't made the trip yet – but plan to – are Irvin Burton, Daniel Nobels and Paul Linenberger. They sat together at the reception Saturday.
Curtis has done all he can to find veterans such as these, but each day he finds more who aren't aware of the Honor Flights program. "We need your help spreading the word," he said Saturday.
And veterans who might want to go should sign up now, even if they aren't sure how they'll be feeling when a flight becomes available. Thousands of aging World War II veterans die each month, which creates a sense of urgency for the volunteers, and the only way to get on a waiting list is to sign up, he stressed.
Saturday's reception was also a fund raiser - shirts and other items are for sale to help the cause - and it also included patriotic music by "Task Force Curtis," a musical group that includes Curtis's wife Deanna and their children, Katie, Jared, Deiah, Micaila and Jake. They've been learning popular music from the World War II era, along with patriotic songs and the fight songs of every branch of the military.
