Marion resident pays for veterans to take fifth honor flight

MARION, IL (KFVS) - The Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois announced its fifth flight on Feb. 1.

They will be taking flight on May the 14, taking over 80 veterans to tour different war memorials in Washington D.C.

This honor flight had a very special donor, Mary Nell Chew, a resident of Marion, Illinois, donated $83,000 of her own money to fund the entire trip for this honor flight.

She said she wanted to do it because she’s had several members of her family serve in the Army, Air Force, the Marines, and the Navy in World War I, and World War II.

The Honor Flight is asking the southern Illinois community to come out and celebrate the return home of the veterans on May the 14.

They are also always looking for more volunteers to help out with the flights.

Chew Talked about why she wanted to give such a generous donation.

“I just thought what a way to honor them, and give approximately 90 people the opportunity to see the memorials and make the trip to Washington that they had probably never would have made otherwise,” said Chew.

Copyright 2019 KFVS. All rights reserved.