PHOENIX - America's veterans are honored today for their service and sacrifice for the nation, but there is a program in Arizona that works year-round to do that.
Susan Howe, founder of Honor Flight Arizona, which flies about 30 vets at a time to tour the war memorials and other historic sites in Washington, described her organization's mission.
"The primary focus is the World War II memorial, but we also go to the Capitol and to the other war memorials and military memorials, and also to be honored for all that they have done for us," she said.
Since it was started four years ago, Howe said, Honor Flight Arizona has flown near 900 vets to the nation's capital. The project receives no government funding, but relies on contributions from service clubs, businesses and individuals.
Howe said the World War II vets definitely appreciate the opportunity to see their memorial, but even more, the interaction with people they meet on the trip.
"They are absolutely taken aback by the number of Americans who shake their hands, who clap, who cheer, who come up to them and hug them, and say, 'Thank you so much for what you've done.'"
Howe says there's a sense of urgency at Honor Flight Arizona. The average age of World War II vets is now 90, and there's a waiting list of 270 for the flights.
"When we make phone calls to let a veteran who has signed up know that they're going on a trip, about 25 percent of them are either too infirm at this point to go, or they've died," she said. "And that's why time is of the essence."
The Honor Flight Network, which is open to all veterans, has helped nearly 100,000 vets across the country see such sites as the Korean, Vietnam and Iwo Jima Memorials, as well as Arlington National Cemetery.
The website for Howe's group is HonorFlightAZ.org.
get more stories like this via email
Members of the League of Women Voters-Arkansas are collecting signatures to add a constitutional amendment to the November 2026 ballot.
The amendment would give voters a chance to approve or reject election laws passed by the legislature.
Bonnie Miller, president of the League of Women Voters-Arkansas and chair of the coalition Save AR Democracy, said lawmakers have been enacting restrictions since 2013, making it harder for the direct democracy process to work.
"We now have to read a ballot title out loud to somebody or watch them read the entire ballot title. We're not just talking about a sentence here. In some instances, this could be pages of text," Miller outlined. "We now have to see a photo ID, we have to tell them that petition fraud is a crime."
Arkansas lawmakers said the added measures would help prevent voter fraud. There have been five Arkansans convicted of election fraud over the past 20 years.
Earlier this year, the league filed a federal lawsuit attempting to strike down five bills passed by the legislature which it said are unconstitutional and restrict the work of canvassers. Miller pointed out if the amendment is passed in next year's election, any changes to voting laws must be approved by voters.
"It would keep them from being able to refer out amendments that would change the process," Miller explained. "It means that during (the) legislative session, if they pass any bills, that affects the process that those laws don't go into effect until they're on the ballot the following year. "
Volunteers with the "Ballot Measure for Ballot Measure" campaign must collect more than 90,000 signatures by July 3, 2026.
Disclosure: The League of Women Voters contributes to our fund for reporting on Civic Engagement. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
click here.
get more stories like this via email
AARP Oregon has opened up nominations for its prestigious award for volunteerism.
For the Andrus Award for Community Service, the organization will select a person or couple, age 50 or older, performing services without pay in their communities.
Geneva Craig, a volunteer for AARP Oregon, won the award in 2019 for her work organizing educational sessions for her community around Medford in Southern Oregon. She said when she was a child, her mother taught her to volunteer by supporting their sick neighbors.
"There's no age group where you can say, 'Oh, I don't have a skill, I don't have a talent,'" Craig emphasized. "You have something to offer, if only to give some support and let somebody know you care."
Oregonians do a lot of volunteering. Data from 2023 show nearly 36% of Oregonians formally volunteered through organizations, about eight points higher than the national average.
Research shows volunteering helps counteract the effects of stress, anxiety and depression, while making people feel more connected and happier. Craig added it is important that volunteers inspire others.
"I'm happy because I'm seeing the rise in people who are stepping back out and offering to volunteer," Craig explained. "I tried to let them know, we're not going to work you to death, OK? This is teamwork."
The deadline for Andrus Award nominations is Sept. 1. The winner receives $1,000 to donate to a nonprofit of their choosing.
Disclosure: AARP Oregon contributes to our fund for reporting on Consumer Issues, Health Issues, Livable Wages/Working Families, and Senior Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
click here.
get more stories like this via email
Minnesotans gathered at the state Capitol last night for a candlelight vigil for Rep. Melissa Hortman, D-Brooklyn Park, after she was assassinated early Saturday. People close to her hope her legacy inspires acts that benefit communities all over.
Following the shooting attack that left Hortman and her husband dead, the couple's adult children issued a statement urging residents to honor their parents' memory in a variety of ways. One of them is to plant a tree.
Anne-Marie Hendrickson, director of development of the nonprofit Tree Trust, said they accept donations to replant groups of trees in Twin Cities neighborhoods devastated by invasive species, and added the Hortmans' home city is a good fit.
"We do have a relationship with Brooklyn Park," she said. "So, you know, maybe it's all the funds raised, for instance, as a result of their deaths could be used to replant trees in a Brooklyn Park park. And volunteers would be engaged to come out and plant those trees."
Rep. Hortman's two decades in the Legislature, including several years as House Speaker, is being described as one of the more impactful careers at the State Capitol. Lawmakers from both major parties have noted her strong commitment to improving the lives of Minnesotans. The family statement concluded with a request for people "to do something, whether big or small," centered around community improvement.
Michael Nicklow, CEO of Let's Plant Trees, said they have plenty of volunteer opportunities, including memorial plantings.
"It's a beautiful thing to do to carry on that legacy, of course, and trees are a beautiful thing - not only for our generation but for future generations, mostly, " he said.
LeAnn Thiner, co-director of the Worthington Christian Church Food Shelf, said operations like hers could always use volunteers with aging staff members stepping down, and added that helping to ensure your neighbor has enough food to eat is an excellent way to show they're supported by their surrounding community, no matter the size of the volunteer job involved.
"Volunteering at a food shelf is a very rewarding thing to do," she explained. "The people come in here, and after you've gotten to know them for a while, they come and say, 'Hi, how are you doing?' They always say thank you."
get more stories like this via email