Credit Union Donates $24,000 to Send WWII Veterans to Washington, D.C.

Fresno, CA Educational Employees Credit Union in Fresno, CA, has donated $24,250 to help a nonprofit send World War II veterans from the Central Valley to the memorial in their honor in Washington, D.C. The EECU donation, announced in early July at the VA Central California Health Care System in Fresno, is a huge step toward the Central Valley Honor Flights goal of raising $100,000 to pay for 30 to 40 veterans to visit the memorial in October, organizers said. EECU pledged $50 to the organization for every auto loan financed from mid- to late May. Frank Powell, Ph.D., EECUs board chairman, and Mark Perez, senior vice president of lending and marketing, presented the donation to Al Perry, president of the Central Valley Honor Flight chapter. Perry said he hopes enough money will be raised by mid-September to fly the group of local veterans to the memorial this fall. Donations for the trip can be mailed to Fresno Regional Foundation, 5250 N. Palm Ave. #424, Fresno, CA 93704 or made at www.cvhonorflight.org. Applications for WWII veterans and guardians to assist on the trip also are available on the website. WWII Army veteran Arlanda Ritchie, who will be 93 when he visits Washington in October, said he is grateful for the opportunity to see the memorial in honor of him and his comrades. "I am really excited," Ritchie said. The Fresno man suffered frostbite and had shrapnel lodged in his right arm during his tour of duty while stationed in France and Germany. Still, he has no regrets about serving his country. "I served with pride," he said, "and Id do it again." Another Fresno WWII veteran, Duane Turk, who traveled to Washington four years ago with an Honor Flight group from Northern California, said he is pleased that the Central Valley chapter is providing other veterans the experience of visiting the memorial. The 87-year-old Navy veteran said everyone treated him like royalty during his emotional 2009 trip to Washington. Many people had pictures taken with him. "Bless their hearts," Turk said. "It brought tears to my eyes." The newly established Central Valley Honor Flight chapter is one of more than 100 hubs across the U.S. devoted to sending veterans to Washington to commemorate their sacrifice and service to the country. The Central Valley Honor Flight plans to fly a group of veterans to Washington every three to four months depending on donations starting with WWII veterans and then eventually sending Korean War and Vietnam War veterans, Perry said. Paul Loeffler, who launched Central Valley Honor Flight and is the host of the radio show "Hometown Heroes" featuring veterans, urged support for the worthy endeavor. "Lets get our veterans to D.C.," Loeffler said.

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  Photo Enclosed:   Photo caption: Shown with EECUs donation check are, from left, Mark Perez, EECU senior vice� president; Jim Huff, EECU marketing director; Rico Guerrero, Fresno Regional Foundation, donor relations coordinator; Bruce Batti, president of Jeffrey Scott Agency; Frank Powell, Ph.D., EECUs board chairman; Al Perry, president of Central Valley Honor Flight; and Paul Loeffler, founder of CV Honor Flight. Huff, Guerrero, Batti, Perry and Loeffler are Central Valley Honor Flight board members.   � Contact: