News : Vinton Lion\'s Club raises over $2,000 to help send Veterans to Washington D.C.

Vinton Lions hosted just under 200 diners in conjunction with Thursday night’s holiday parade in Vinton, raising $2,300 to help send area veterans to Washington D.C on Eastern Iowa Honor Flights in 2011.

The chili supper at the Vinton fire station was organized quickly, according to club President Julie Zimmer, with just two weeks lead time.

“The membership jumped right in when Don Eells proposed the idea. Mike Barron and a crew of Lions volunteered to make chili using the ever-popular recipe handed down from Mike’s dad Bill, also a long-time Lion.

“Farmers Bank and Trust came forward with a generous donation of $500 toward expenses and the cause. Local businesses and individuals donated the table cloths, table service and desserts so most, if not all, of the bank’s donation goes into the total raised at the supper. Aside from the bank’s donation, patrons’ free-will donations were more generous than any price we might have put on the ticket, averaging over $10 each.”

With more lead time, a repeat fundraiser next year could easily double the number of participants, according to Lion Jeff Peterson.

Lion and Veterans Flight organizer Roger Uthoff said Eastern Iowa Honor Flight has about 400 area WW II Vets on a waiting list for the trip to Washington D.C. in 2011 and EIHF is planning four flights, two in the spring and two in the fall. Each flight accomodates about a hundred Veterans on a day-long tour of military monuments and memorials in our nation’s capitol. The trips, at no cost to the Veterans, are a small way of thanking them for their service and, according to those who have gone on past flights, a memorable and moving experience.