Larry the Cable Guy honors vets
By DIANE WETZEL, The North Platte Telegraph
02/25/2008When it comes to his native state, Dan Whitney will “Git-R-done” for Nebraska veterans of World War II.
Known to fans as Larry the Cable Guy, Whitney and his wife Cara will pay for 100 WWII veterans to visit the National World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. in May.
“He is stepping up to pay the entire cost of the flight,” said Heartland Honor Flight organizer Bill Williams. “The donations coming into the VFW will go toward a second flight. There are 300 names on the list of veterans wanting to go.
Among those veterans accepted for the first flight are Lloyd Synovec and Don Craig of North Platte.
A chartered flight will carry 100 veterans and escorts from Omaha on May 21. The group will spend the day in Washington D.C., and tour the WWII memorial, along with the Iwo Jima, Korean War and Vietnam Memorials.
Sen. Bob Dole, himself a WWII veteran, will meet the group in Washington.
Williams said the group contacted Whitney because Larry the Cable Guy is known for his support of U.S. troops.
“When she called and said they wanted to pay for the entire thing, we were stunned,” Williams said. “We hope to organize a third flight as well, because no one wants to tell the guys on the waiting list that they can’t go.”
The group is hoping to find sponsors in the North Platte area to help pay for transportation and two nights lodging for the local guests, Williams said.
HyVee grocery stores have agreed to supply box lunches for the trip, and will provide 100 disposable cameras, Williams said. A fundraising concert is scheduled for April in Omaha, featuring the Aviators, who perform a WWII USO-style show.
“People are jumping on the bandwagon to help, and it’s terrific,” Williams said.
When the WWII Memorial was completed in Washington D.C. in May 2004, the youngest WWII veteran was 77 years old. The “Greatest Generation” is dying at a rate of 1,200 a day.
To learn more about Honor Flight, visit
www.honorflight.org.
To help support the Heartland Honor Flight, contact the Nebraska VFW, 402) 464-0674, or send a check to Heartland Honor Flight, VFW, P.O. Box 4552, Lincoln, NE, 68504.
To help pay for transportation and lodging costs for local veterans, contact Telegraph reporter Diane Wetzel at (308) 535-4747.
“Donations from WWII veterans will not be accepted,” William said. “They have given us a free world. Now it’s our turn to pay them back.”
©North Platte Telegraph 2008
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