Hudson Valley Honor Flight to present more than 700 lawn signs to local veterans
WALDEN, N.Y. (May 5, 2021) — While it patiently awaits approval to resume flights, Hudson Valley Honor Flight (HVHF) has kicked off an outreach campaign to remind veterans who have applied that the organization has not forgotten them. HVHF representatives will be delivering more than 700 lawn signs to the homes of veterans in the Hudson Valley.
The first sign was presented on Thursday, April 29 to Vietnam veteran Bill Taylor of Walden, N.Y. (Photos attached; video available as well.)
“We are thrilled to have delivered our first Veteran Recognition yard sign to Vietnam veteran Bill Taylor,” said HVHF Chairman Frank Kimler. “Bill is one of the 700 veterans on our list waiting to be honored on a future Honor Flight. We have now officially begun the process of delivering these signs to all 700 veterans to let them know Hudson Valley Honor Flight is still here, we haven’t forgotten them, and we are patiently waiting for the “all clear” to fly again and give them a day of honor they will never forget. We hope to resume flights this October,”
“While nothing can take the place of experiencing an Honor Flight, we wanted our veterans to know that we are thinking of them,” said Jennifer DeFrancesco, Hudson Valley Honor Flight executive director. “As they wait patiently, so are we, for the day when we can fly again — which will hopefully be this October.”
ABOUT HUDSON VALLEY HONOR FLIGHT
Hudson Valley Honor Flight (HVHF) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization which “Honors American Veterans” for all their sacrifices. HVHF transports these heroes to Washington, D.C. to visit their memorials at no cost to them. It is the local hub of the National Honor Flight Network (which consists of more than 100 independent non-profit “hubs” across America). HVHF flies multiple times a year out of Stewart International Airport and Westchester County Airport. It serves veterans from the following counties: Orange (N.Y.), Ulster (N.Y.), Dutchess (N.Y.), Westchester (N.Y.), Rockland (N.Y.), Sullivan (N.Y.), Putnam (N.Y.), Pike (Pa.), Bergen (N.J.), and Fairfield (Conn.). Veterans from other surrounding counties are considered as well. Top priority is given to those of the Greatest Generation, that of World War II, and terminally ill veterans from other wars. HVHF plans to take ALL veterans from other wars on future flights. Applications are kept on file. For more information, visit http://hvhonorflight.com.
Pictured in group photo, L to R:
Frank Kimler, Hudson Valley Honor Flight Chairman; Jennifer DeFrancesco, Hudson Valley Honor Flight Executive Director; Skip O’Donnell, President, Orange County Veterans Coalition; William Taylor, USN Vietnam Veteran, Larry Newmann, Supervisor Vet2Vet Program; Tom Walraven; Christian Farrell, Director of Orange County Veterans Services; Carol Smith, Hudson Valley Honor Flight Vice Chair; Bill Sestrom; and Bill Skennion.
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