My name is Justin Peterson, a 17 year old on a mission. Eight years ago I started a non-graded school project on World War Two. As part of this project I wrote a paper on World War Two and had the honor of interviewing and sharing the stories of 10 local WWII Vets with my community. I also raised money for Inland Northwest Honor Flight by speaking at meetings in town, doing a letter writing campaign, holding a change drive, and a Taco/Nacho feed. My original goal was to raise $600, enough money to send one Veteran to D.C. Generous donations from all over helped me to raise $4300 and send 15 Veterans to D.C. on a deserving trip with donated Southwest Airlines plane tickets that year.
I have decided to continue to raise money for this wonderful organization to ensure that all the Veterans who would like to go to Washington D.C., can. I have raised and secured donations in numerous ways - I have hosted 8 more Nacho Feed dinners in two towns since 2010 with three more in a third town hosted in my honor, my family started and ran an annual ATV Poker Ride six years ago with the help of our local SAL group to raise money while having a good time, the local American Legion held a commemorative Tommy Gun raffle for a fundraiser last year, and HF received a grant through a major voting campaign in my honor. I also continue to speak at meetings and help at functions as well as sell my hat pins and wristbands online and at various events. Many generous organizations have hosted fundraising events in my name and people like you continue to donate to help me honor our Military Heroes. With everyone’s help I passed my initial goal and have now raised and secured donations of over $130,000 allowing approximately 175 local Veterans to be honored with an Honor Flight!!! In July of 2011, in May of 2013, and again in April of 2017 I was honored with the opportunity to travel to D.C. on and Honor Flight with a group of Veterans as a guardian. These trips have helped me to see just how important my work is, and just how much this honor means to our military heroes. Because my goals have all been met and exceeded these past 8 years, I am simply seeing how much I can raise before I graduate - hopefully over $150,000!!!
Inland Northwest Honor Flight is an organization that sends our WWII, Korean War, Vietnam and terminally ill Veterans of all wars on all-expenses paid trips to Washington D.C. to see the memorials built in their honor. The program naturally sends the most senior Veterans on their Honor Flights. The average cost to send a Veteran is now $900 which includes airfare, meals, hotel and transportation. So far over 1300 Inland Northwest Veterans have gone to D.C. since the first flight in November 2009, and there are over 200 Veterans on the waiting list right now, this does not include the dozens that have passed away before having a chance to go on their Honor Flight. Because INWHF relies solely on donations, every little bit really does count, and time is running out for many of our Heroes.
Many of the Veterans I first interviewed and friends I have met along the way have passed away. Each time one of my friends passes is shows me just how important it is that we help our Military Heroes be honored for their service and sacrifice so many years ago. For many of them, this is the only thanks they have ever received for serving our county and protecting our freedoms. Many have told me that it helped them heal and say goodbye to their fellow brothers and sisters who died so many years ago. Most of these men and women are in their 90s now and over a thousand are passing away each and every day. These men and women saved the world. They fought for all of us. I can do what I do today because of them. It is so important that we all pitch in and help honor them before it is too late. Thank you for your support! And remember, what can YOU do?
I have decided to continue to raise money for this wonderful organization to ensure that all the Veterans who would like to go to Washington D.C., can. I have raised and secured donations in numerous ways - I have hosted 8 more Nacho Feed dinners in two towns since 2010 with three more in a third town hosted in my honor, my family started and ran an annual ATV Poker Ride six years ago with the help of our local SAL group to raise money while having a good time, the local American Legion held a commemorative Tommy Gun raffle for a fundraiser last year, and HF received a grant through a major voting campaign in my honor. I also continue to speak at meetings and help at functions as well as sell my hat pins and wristbands online and at various events. Many generous organizations have hosted fundraising events in my name and people like you continue to donate to help me honor our Military Heroes. With everyone’s help I passed my initial goal and have now raised and secured donations of over $130,000 allowing approximately 175 local Veterans to be honored with an Honor Flight!!! In July of 2011, in May of 2013, and again in April of 2017 I was honored with the opportunity to travel to D.C. on and Honor Flight with a group of Veterans as a guardian. These trips have helped me to see just how important my work is, and just how much this honor means to our military heroes. Because my goals have all been met and exceeded these past 8 years, I am simply seeing how much I can raise before I graduate - hopefully over $150,000!!!
Inland Northwest Honor Flight is an organization that sends our WWII, Korean War, Vietnam and terminally ill Veterans of all wars on all-expenses paid trips to Washington D.C. to see the memorials built in their honor. The program naturally sends the most senior Veterans on their Honor Flights. The average cost to send a Veteran is now $900 which includes airfare, meals, hotel and transportation. So far over 1300 Inland Northwest Veterans have gone to D.C. since the first flight in November 2009, and there are over 200 Veterans on the waiting list right now, this does not include the dozens that have passed away before having a chance to go on their Honor Flight. Because INWHF relies solely on donations, every little bit really does count, and time is running out for many of our Heroes.
Many of the Veterans I first interviewed and friends I have met along the way have passed away. Each time one of my friends passes is shows me just how important it is that we help our Military Heroes be honored for their service and sacrifice so many years ago. For many of them, this is the only thanks they have ever received for serving our county and protecting our freedoms. Many have told me that it helped them heal and say goodbye to their fellow brothers and sisters who died so many years ago. Most of these men and women are in their 90s now and over a thousand are passing away each and every day. These men and women saved the world. They fought for all of us. I can do what I do today because of them. It is so important that we all pitch in and help honor them before it is too late. Thank you for your support! And remember, what can YOU do?
