Honoring Those Who Served

George Farrell was waiting for a plane in Baltimore when he heard a ruckus coming through the airport. A contingent of WWII veterans was being escorted to their flight amidst a brimming crowd of well wishers. Farrell, a retired Providence fire chief, joined in the shaking of hands and pats on the backs. Asking around, he discovered that the veterans had just spent the day at the WWII Memorial in Washington DC and were returning home courtesy of a program called the Honor Flight Network. “I didn’t know anything about it but I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” he says.

Farrell took the idea back to the RI Association of Fire Chiefs (RIAFC) and asked if they wanted to help. The response was immediate and the RIAFC founded a non-profit foundation to become the RI hub for Honor Flight. The inaugural flight from RI took off in November with ten veterans and their guardians. With an estimated 800 WWII veterans dying every day, time is of the essence to give as many as possible a chance to visit their memorial.

Wakefield resident Reggie Hazard was on the first trip. Hazard, who was in Officer Class 54 at Ft. Eustis in Virginia, was as impressed by the folks on the trip as the memorial itself. “It was a fantastic experience just being around all these good people,” he says. He traveled with his son Dallas. “It was an honor to accompany my father,” says Dallas. “It was a learning experience, but not a laid back experience by any means. With this organization you can actually see something being given back.” Dallas has rupped and will be escorting another veteran on the next trip.

Retired Warwick Deputy Fire Chief Steve Hay was also on the inaugural flight. “It was a great eye opener, the chance of a lifetime,” he says. Hay is also going to continue to escort veterans on future trips. George Farrell explains that the deep connection of service between the military, police and firefighters make the Fire Chief’s Association a perfect fit to serve as the RI hub for Honor Flight. “I guarantee guardians that this will be one of the best experiences they will ever have.” The Elks Lodge in Wakefield will be hosting a dinner fundraiser for the Honor Flight Network on April 27 from 5-8pm. All of the proceeds go towards sending veterans to see their memorial.