Chairman’s Corner
Greetings and Happy Spring to All!
We hope this note finds all of you happy to have most of the cold weather behind us (but it is still Indiana and they are playing Basketball, so…)!
We are very happy to hear from so many of you who have been able to be vaccinated and to see the overall numbers looking better. As of this writing anyone age 16 or over is now eligible for the vaccine! We have been watching all of the progress very closely and we are proud of the way Indiana has handled the process. We are in better shape than several other states. Please continue to wear your masks when you are out from just your family, safe is better than sorry, regardless of your vaccination status. Please remember your vaccine is not at full value until two (2) weeks after your second shot (for those taking Moderna or Pfizer). We still have a ways to go for everyone to be safe.
Some other good news is some of activities are getting close to be able to enjoy. One important event we are very excited about is the dedication of the Gold Star Families Memorial in Indianapolis on Saturday, May 1st at 1:30PM. They memorial will be placed on the Southwest corner of North Pennsylvania and St. Clair Streets. You can learn more about the memorial along with a look at the finished memorial concept on the website: www.hwwmohf.org.
On Saturday, May 15th, from 10:00am to 7:00pm a reduced scale replica of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier will be on display at the Elks Lodge, 223 E 3rd St in Rushville, IN. If you have not seen the Tomb in person or are unable to travel to D.C, this is a wonderful opportunity. We have visited the Tomb on every one of our flights and I can attest it never grows old. I get a chill every time I see it.
As we already shared, the Avon Cruise-In will also begin its summer run on Saturday May 1st! at 6pm. The Hales have been staunch supporters of the Indy Honor Flight and all proceeds from the event’s 50-50 drawing, shirt sales, etc. go to IHF. The show is free to attend and draws a great crowd of car folks every Saturday evening! We always like to thank the Avon Lowes for donating the use of their parking lot for the event, it is much appreciated! We hope to see you at 7893 E US Hwy 36, in Avon, IN.
While we are still officially grounded through the end of August as of this writing, we continue to honor our Veterans in any way we safely can. We are still accepting applications for Veterans, Guardians and Volunteers and we will happily take your donations so we will all be VERY ready to fly when we get the go signal! As a reminder, please let us know if you have moved, changed your phone number, etc. by sending us an EMAIL to Info@indyHonorFlight.org. If you do not have computer access, please call us at 317-559-1600 and a Volunteer will take your information. Having updated information really helps us help our Veterans!
The Honor Flight Mission is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for those who have served us in wartime. We are privileged to have this opportunity to honor these Veterans and we take every opportunity to do so. Please follow us on FaceBook for updates!
Meanwhile, please take the time to thank any Veteran you come into contact with and always watch for those “magic hats” worn by these heroes. Your “thank you for your service” or “welcome home” means a lot to these heroes. Stay safe!
Dale True, IHF Chairman
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON HOW TO SIGN UP FOR THE COVID VACCINE
Click on the “click here to find a vaccination site and register” and it will show you the entire state of locations. Click on the locations closest to you. If you do not have a computer, call 211 from any phone and someone will be able to assist you. Please remember, the vaccine requires two doses and you do not have the best level of protection until two (2) weeks after your second dose. Indy Honor Flights’ medics and medical associates are strongly recommending our most at risk folks get the vaccine as soon as possible!
Whose ready for the Cruise In?
Our friends at the Avon IN Summer Cruise In will be back in operation starting Saturday May 1st!!! Gathering at the Avon Lowes Parking lot every Saturday from 6pm to 9pm until the end of September. Come join us and snag one of these awesome shirts! Address in the events section below.
From the Avon IN Cruise IN:
In response to the overwhelming demand, we will be featuring the all new Avon Summer Cruise-In T-Shirt this season. This was a collaboration effort with Indy Honor Flight and, as always, the proceeds from sales of this one of a kind, beautiful, unrivaled shirt will go right back to Indy Honor Flight. Shirts will be available to purchase at our first cruise-in this year (May 1st) and at every cruise-in thereafter. Sizes M-XL = $20.
2X, 3X and 4X = $21
Be one of the very first to rep your favorite Saturday summertime hangout with your very own Avon Summer Cruise-In T-shirt and help a great cause while doing it.
*as always, prices subject to change due to supplier costs*
Laughter is the best Medicine!
Discharge papers – How to keep them safe or get copies
Often times we received phone calls from a veteran’s family looking for their discharge papers for burial benefits. Trying to track down important documents while preparing for the funeral of your loved on is hard.
We have a few tips to help ease the difficulty during that time.
- Keep your DD214 and other important papers in a safe place at home and tell your loved ones where they are.
- Do not keep them in a safe deposit box at the bank as obtaining those documents after the passing of a loved is difficult.
- If you do not have the discharge documents needed you can reach out to your county Veterans Affairs Officer for assistance. Be as specific as you can about their service, even the smallest detail can help.
- Veterans please please please share your story with your family. Tiny details of your service can be an asset when/if they have to track down your discharge papers.
- The website for the State of Indiana is:
https://www.in.gov.dva/locate-your-cvso/
This gives you an interactive map to find the information for all counties in the state!
A few around the Indy area are:
Marion County 317-327-8387
Hancock Count 317-462-8767
Hendricks County 317-745-9239
Hamilton County 317-776-9610
Monroe County 812-349-2537
Morgan County 765-349-5505
Madison County 765-641-9651
Boone County 765-483-4480
Johnson County 317-346-4563
Shelby County 317-392-2140
Shop Amazon and help IHF!
Let’s get Outside!
Anyone else dog go crazy when that Amazon truck pulls up?
Did you know when you shop Amazon for your spring time outdoor or pet needs you can help us fly our heroes too? Just shop Amazon Smile and they will donate a percentage of your purchase to us!!! Sign up for Amazon Smile and select Indy Honor Flight as the charity you support, that is all there is to it!
Gold Star Families Memorial Dedication – May 1, 2021
Please join us Saturday May 1st for the Dedication of the Indiana Gold Star Families Memorial. The event starts at 1:30pm downtown Indianapolis (address listed below).
Hershel Woody Williams is the special guest speaker. We at IHF feel strongly about supporting our Gold Star Families and we hope to see you there.
760 N. Pennsylvania Street
Indianapolis IN 46204
Please click here for more information about the memorial and the event.
IHF Out and About in 2021
- All Monthly Meals Postponed
- Avon Summer Cruise In May 1st, 6pm Avon Lowes parking Lot.
- 7893 East U.S. Highway 36
- Avon, IN 46123
- Dedication of the Indiana Gold Star Families Memorial May 1st, 1:30pm
- 760 N. Pennsylvania Street
- Indpls, IN 46204
- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier display May 15th
- The Elks Lodge, 223 E 3rd St in Rushville, IN.
- 10:00am to 7:00pm
- TENTATIVE – Flight #33 TBD
We aren’t going anywhere just taking all the necessary precautions to keep everyone safe!
We look forward to the time when we can be together again and get back to giving out those free hugs!