Apr. 27, 2019
For the second year, GEHA (Government Employees Health Association) is a sponsor for Heartland Honor Flight, assisting the organization in giving more than 80 veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam a full-day trip to Washington, D.C. to tour the memorials honoring their military service. The upcoming trip is scheduled for April 30, at no cost to the veterans. GEHA’s financial support helps to offset the cost of the chartered flight, box lunches and leasing tour buses for the veterans.
In the weeks leading to the flight, GEHA employees came together and wrote 244 letters thanking the veterans for their service. These letters will be distributed to each veteran during “mail call” on the return flight. GEHA employees, friends and families plan to join the cheering crowd at Kansas City International Airport the evening of April 30 to greet the veterans when they return and provide an inspiring and well-deserved homecoming.
“Giving back to the communities of the Kansas City area is at the core of GEHA’s mission,” says Sherry Gibbs, vice president, marketing and growth at GEHA. “Heartland Honor Flight is a great cause that we are proud to support, especially since many of GEHA’s benefit plan members and employees have honorably given their time in service to our country.”
Dianna Sleyster, who manages GEHA’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program, will be traveling on the flight this year as a Volunteer Guardian.
“I’m looking forward to supporting the wonderful veterans on this trip,” says Dianna. “This is a great opportunity for both GEHA and me to give back to the men and women who served our country.”
As a federally focused medical and dental plan carrier based in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, GEHA provides ongoing support to local veterans. Through gifts of time and money, GEHA employees have also helped the Veterans Community Project build tiny homes to assist Kansas City area veterans get back on their feet.
“We are thankful for all of GEHA’s support from corporate sponsorship to employee volunteers,” says John Doole, president of Heartland Honor Flight. “Many of our veterans never received the hero’s welcome they earned, and we are proud to provide it for them.”
Since its inception in 2005, more than 200,000 veterans throughout the United States have participated in an Honor Flight. More than 1,000 veterans in the Kansas City region have flown with Heartland Honor Flight, since 2008. To learn more, visit heartlandhonorflight.org.
