Approximately 100 local veterans of World War II and the Korean War got their due and the Honor Flight Chicago got its financial backing at the DuPage Veterans Foundation's sixth annual fundraiser recently.
Richard Jorgensen, the president of the foundation, told the DuPage Policy Journal that the event met its goals with flying colors.
“We considered it to be a very successful event,” he said. “Our event is really two things: one, to honor World War I and Korea War-era veterans for their service, and second, it is a fundraiser to donate the money to Honor Flight Chicago. Those were the two goals of our event.”
Jorgensen said the fundraiser drew more than 1,000 attendees, including Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Chicago radio talk show host Dan Proft.
Proft is a principal of Local Government Information Services, which owns this publication.
Jorgensen said he estimated the fundraiser garnered approximately $55,000 this year, adding to the more than $200,000 it has raised through past events.
“There are an estimated 53,000 WWII and Korean War veterans living in the Chicagoland area — and we want to reach and honor each and every one,” Honor Flight Chicago’s website said. “At Honor Flight Chicago, our mission is to thank and pay tribute to these heroes — especially our World War II and Korean War veterans — by bringing them to Washington, D.C. for a day of honor and remembrance at no cost to them.”
Honor Flight Chicago is a part of a larger network of the same name that operates similar efforts in states nationwide.
Jorgensen said the Chicago group has sponsored approximately 350 trips to Washington. A national estimate indicates that the national Honor Flight Network has flown more than 159,000 veterans since 2005. The wider Honor Flight network consists of more than 130 chapters in 41 states and Washington.
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