Time spent with Honor Flight has been an honor

As I begin to wrap up my teaching career at Sandpoint High School, one group I will be giving up will be the Honor Flight Club. I’d just like to take a minute to thank all those who made the club successful and who helped raise the $11,446.22 to give to Inland Northwest Honor Flight in Spokane. It all starts with Tony Lamanna and his staff from INWHF. I was able to attend a trip to Washington, D.C., with 92 World War II veterans and it truly is an amazing experience. Tony’s vision has allowed the trip of a lifetime for many veterans and their families. The staff who puts together the details to make these trips possible is an amazing, dedicated group. We can’t thank them enough for making these trips possible.

Without students getting involved from Sandpoint High School, this club would never have been possible or successful. A special thanks to club members Emma Weisz, Madie Slaton-Sanford, Alison Calvert and many other students who put in their free time for the many fundraising events. Kids have very busy lives and they put in many hours to make this club work. A club does not exist without the administration from your school and our principal, Tom Albertson, was also very supportive. Lori Bocksch and Mary Imaz, two SHS Spanish teachers came to me and said, “How can we help.” Erica Haynes, who wants to keep the Honor Flight message going at Sandpoint High School. Your support has meant a great deal. A major project our club participated in was a wreath project with Christelle Zuccolotto who lives in Bardoueu, France who along with her French students laid two wreaths on Utah Beach in Normandy, France, during the 70th anniversary of D-Day. Thank you, Christelle, for teaching French students the great sacrifices of American solders so many years ago. A special thanks to Travis Thompson, who helped Christelle and her students navigate Washington, D.C., while on a United States tour. You can view the project on YouTube at youtube.com/watch?v=lD87YRFUcf0&feature=youtu.be

There is a group of individuals in Sandpoint who do an amazing job supporting veterans and their causes in our community. VFW Post 2453 members Michael Harmelin, Marine Corps League member Howard Converse, and American Legion Commander Bill Stevens. The last Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C., consisted of about 33 Vietnam veterans. On their return home to the Spokane Airport they were welcomed home with a band and about 700 cheering supporters who appreciated their service to this country. Although, it was 50 years too late; you could see the appreciation on the faces of these Vietnam veterans. This was one of the many emotional highlights of this Honor Flight experience. I also want to thank all other members of our local veterans organizations including George Eskridge and also to Cary Poston from Farragut Base of Submarine Veterans.

Without the help of our local businesses we would not have been successful. The first person in our community that asked if he could help was Pat Gooby of Gooby’s Mini Storage. Pat’s local knowledge is amazing and it has been an honor to get to know him. Wendy Slater from the Hoot Owl Café was amazing helping with our breakfast. Ward Tollbom from Hen’s Tooth Studio helped frame “The War” movie poster donated by Ken Burns himself. Steve Furin from Super 1 Foods allowed us to promote Honor Flight at the front of his store and I’d like to thank all the patrons of his store who donated. Keep flying that huge American Flag at Super 1. It still means a great deal too many people. Thank you, Ken Pearlstein from Insight Distributing and to everyone else that helped with the breakfast promotion. Also, I like to thank Parker Subaru in Coeur d’Alene who donated a car to Sandpoint High School which we were able to sell tickets for. It was a great fundraiser that benefited many clubs here at our school.

I’d also like to thank several local women’s organizations including Mary Ambrosinoni from the Idaho Federation of Republican Women and the great breakfast I had with the ladies of Alpha Delta Kappa. They were all very supportive of Honor Flight.

Finally, I’d like to thank the veterans I’ve met during the four years of this club. It was such an honor to meet many of you and have you share your stories with club members and myself. We got to speak with those of you who made history for this country and I can’t thank you enough for all you did for us. I know there are probably others I forgot to thank so to you, I apologize. Please continue to support Honor Flight. It has been such a great cause to be a part of.

JOHN NITCY

Sandpoint