The November Walnut Grove Press covered two Vets Finding Vets events held in October – Patriotic Bingo and the All-Women Veterans Honor Flight. But, October was very busy for veterans as there was also our annual Honor Flight Reunion. We keep the reunion in October as we wait until after the October flight to Washington, D.C., so that those veterans can attend as well, and we hope to catch those who winter in warmer areas before they leave.
The 2025 reunion was held at the Cassadaga American Legion, the perfect setting for our gathering, and we were very grateful for their hospitality.
Vets Finding Vets first began participating in Buffalo Niagara Honor Flights in October 2017, when three World War II veterans and one Korean War veteran excitedly began their journey from Jamestown to Buffalo. At that time, there was a spring and fall flight, but after three flights were missed during the COVID pandemic, an extra flight was added to catch up on the long list of potential travelers.
We began having an annual reunion for this very special “Band of Brothers” in 2018, and it is always a joyful time. They enjoy seeing each other again, the veterans who were on their own flight, and other veterans they know.
The speaker this year was Eric Hamilton, the 2024 Vets Finding Vets Soldier’s Friend Scholarship recipient. (The SFS is the beneficiary of the Patriotic Bingo fundraisers.) The applicants must be a Chautauqua County graduate or undergraduate with a concrete plan of either entering the service, or obtaining a civilian occupation offered by a military branch in support of serving members. In this case, service came first, as Eric entered the Marine Corps after high school and at the time he applied for the $1,000 scholarship, he was struggling with the cost of books at Northeastern Seminary, while working locally for the Department of Defense.
His message that day certainly resonated with the Honor Flight veterans and their guests as he reminded them that their service gave younger veterans heroes to look up to. He made the point that in Washington, D.C., they had seen the war memorials, but that they were granite. They, themselves, are the real memorials of their service and he encouraged them to pass down their own stories to their families. He ended with some of his Marine experiences in Iraq, coming home broken in many ways, and how they led him to join the seminary.
Fifty veterans and their guests enjoyed the day, chatting about their favorite subject “The Trip of a Lifetime.” It was so good to see them again and we all look forward to the next Reunion.
Our speaker, Eric, didn’t mention it at the reunion, but he has a street ministry in Jamestown, focusing mostly on the homeless population. He is currently collecting coats to give out as the temperatures settle into real winter. There are also children who need to stay warm. Most of us have one or two coats we know we will never wear again, and if you would like them to make their way to people who need them, please call 716-397-7079.
