WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Some Kansas veterans may soon be getting a call from Kansas Honor Flight with bad news.
The organization has decided to postpone all of it’s scheduled honor flight trips for 2020 due to COVID-19. Kansas Honor Flight President, Mike Vancampen said it was a tough decision, but a necessary one to ensure the safety of veterans.
“We have 17 flights for 2021 starting the first of April,” said Vancampen.
One Kansas Honor Flight volunteer, Lavonna Schlageck helps call veterans to schedule their trip when they are next on the waitlist, but now she’s facing tough conversations.
“When we call them it’s always a great call to make because they’ve been on the list, sometimes up to two years and so when they get the call, they’re very excited to go and then with the COVID-19 pandemic we’ve had to cancel,” said Schlageck.
Vancampen said the wait list for veterans can last anywhere from 18 to 24 months before they’re able to take the trip to D.C to see the military monuments. This delay will put the organization back a year, but he said World War II and Korean War veterans will get first priority.
The organization is still raising funding for future honor flight trips, for more information on how you can donate, click here.
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