News : Vinton's Lions Club raises $3,100 for Eastern Iowa Honor Flights

The Vinton Lions Club held their chili supper at the fire station on the night of the Patriotic Christmas Parade in an effort to raise money to donate to the Eastern Iowa Honor Flights. Raising $3,100, the club made it possible to send 6 veterans to Washington D.C. The Eastern Iowa Honor Flights is a non-profit organization that relies fully on private, public and corporate donations in order to make these trips happen for our WWII, Korea and Vietnam War Veterans. They proudly honor the Veterans that served in peacetime between these wars, as well. If you ask the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight about why they do this, they will tell you: "Why? On Monday, December 8, 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt appeared before Congress giving what is now referred to as the Infamy Speech. Yesterday, December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. Shortly thereafter, Congress declared war against Japan. More than 226,000 Iowans answered that call serving as sailors, soldiers, Marines and airmen in the largest war the world had ever seen. Sadly, there are fewer and fewer of these men and women alive today and few have had the opportunity to see the National WWII Memorial dedicated to them on April 29, 2004 (59 years after the war’s end). With the passing of greater numbers of the WWII Veterans, the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight has now opened up our flights to include Korean War and Vietnam Era Veterans. Eastern Iowa Honor Flight is dedicated to making that happen and you can help us give these heroes the appreciation they so gratefully deserve." Thank you to our area Lions Club for their efforts to help make this possible for another 6 Veterans!