News : Students dress up for Honor Flights; seniors give up trip to Six Flags for vets

VSHS Student Senate poses with previous Honor Flight honorees John Kelly, Le Laton and Doc Miller.

The Vinton-Shellsburg High School Student Senate presented a $700 check to the North Central Iowa Honor Flight organization to help send World War II veterans to Washington, D.C.

Student Senate members presented the check to Roger Uthoff, who has been working with the North Central Iowa Honor Flight organization, Tuesday morning, April 18.

But soon, the VSHS seniors will be presenting that organization a check for nearly three times that amount.

That's because the Class of 2010 voted to donate funds they had saved for a senior trip to Six Flags to the Honor Flight group. The seniors will still have a senior trip; they will go to Palo Lake for a get-together. But the cost difference between the two trips will be about $2,000, said senior John Wilder.

Mrs. Vaugn suggested the idea to the students. Class leaders brought it up for a vote, and the majority agreed, said Wilder.

The $700 donated on Tuesday morning came from Honor Week, in which the entire student body was allowed to dress in a different theme each day for four days for a $1 donation.

The three veterans who met the students on Tuesday in the VSHS gym -- John Kelly, Leland Laton and Elmer "Doc" Miller -- previously participated in the Honor Flight program in November. Another local veteran, Dale Alpers, is going on an Honor Flight this week.

Students pictured with the veterans include (from left) Kami Kirchner, Stephanie Spangler, Courtney Steinford, Bree Stephenson, Katie Henderson, John Wilder, Meghan Owens, Stephanie Lash, Summer Stephenson, Nikki Thompson and Emma Clingman.

The Honor Flights give "The Greatest Generation" the opportunity to see the Memorial in their honor. Most WWII vets are in their 80s now, and many have health issues that make traveling difficult.

The Honor Flights pay to fly veterans from a regional airport near them to Washington, D.C. Most times, it's a one-day event, as the veterans leave early in the morning, fly to the Capitol and return late at night.