The purpose of the team’s 227-mile Ride of Honor, which took place Aug. 10-11 from the Veterans War Memorial at the top of Pine Mountain to the Mackinac Bridge and the American Legion Park in St. Ignace, was to recognize and honor all service men and women and to make this donation to U.P. Honor Flight on behalf of area veterans.

All of the team members wore cycling jerseys that represent each branch of the military and honored family, friends and all veterans who served. Most importantly, team members also wore jerseys honoring POW/MIA and fallen heroes. Team members and the veterans they recognized were Drew Richmond, Fallen Heroes jersey; Jim Ebli, POW/MIA jersey; Dan Wentarmini, Navy jersey and Navy veteran; Melissa Wentarmini, Air Force jersey; John Jamar, Air Force and Navy jerseys; Joe Pacheco, Marines and Army jerseys; Brandon Rutter, Army National Guard jersey; and Scott Lewellyn, Coast Guard jersey.

The cycling team also remembered and recognized fallen heroes and POW/MIA during the special fundraising event.

The Honor Flight organization would not exist, the Ride of Honor would not exist and our free and independent country would not exist if not for our veterans who raised their right hand and pledged their lives in service to our country, team member Lewellyn said.

HONOR FLIGHT CYCLING TEAM members at the Mackinac Bridge during the Ride of Honor — from left are Jim Ebli, Scott Lewellyn, Drew Richmond, Brandon Rutter, Melissa Wentarmini, Dan Wentarmini, John Jamar and Joe Pacheco. (Floline Media-Nick Jensen photo)

“U.P. Veterans, thank you and God bless you this Veterans Day,” he added.

The Honor Flight Cycling Team and U.P. veterans salute the following corporations and individuals for their Admiral and 5-Star General levels of support to the Ride of Honor. They include: Trident Maritime Systems; Gundlach-Champion Inc.; MJ Electric; John Fornetti Dental Center; Bacco Construction; First National Bank & Trust of Iron Mountain; Town & Country Sales; Sloan Environmental Services of Taylor, Mich.; Nicolet National Bank; Graymont Port Inland of Gulliver, Mich.; Andy Plumley; Verso, Inc./Billerud of Quinnesec;

CCI Systems; UP Construction Contractors; Lucy and Dale Shampo; and Veterans of Foreign Wars of Manistique.

They also wish to thank the following businesses and individuals for their very generous support: Dickinson Area Community Foundation, Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson, Edwards Automotive, William Verette, Pro-Tech Lube Center, DTE Energy, Comfort Inn of Manistique, Manistique Lions Club, Kristin Rice, William Verette II, Dave and Deborah Brisson, Norway Eye Care, Fleury, Singler & Company, Iron Mountain-Kingsford Area Credit Union, Greater Green Bay Foundation, Uren-Cooper-Johnson American Legion Post 50 of Iron Mountain, and Liz Douglas.

The Honor Flight Cycling Team also extends a special acknowledgement to the Michigan State Police for ensuring their safety across U.S. 2.

The Honor Flight Cycling Team recently donated $55,210, raised through the team’s Ride of Honor event in August, to support the U.P. Honor Flight organization. Shown at a special meet-and greet at the Veterans War Memorial on top of Pine Mountain in Iron Mountain with Honor Flight Cycling Team members Dan Wentarmini, Melissa Wentarmini, Joe Pacheco, Jim Ebli and Scott Lewellyn are Dickinson area veterans Ferrand Ethington, William Schmitt, Richard Cowell, John Dougoveto, Tom Heyboer, Carl Kalcec, Gil Koski, Henry Badini, Mark Wendzicki, Fred Antonessen, Dan McMahon, Pete Haepers, Steve Jacques, Robert Massicotte, Jim Richards, Frank Pierce, Dave McMahon, Butch Dabb, Bob Strang, Roger Marinich, Mary Stolze, George Stolze, Brian Despins, Barbara Bishop, Dick Holmes, Andy Cabrera, Dan Wentarmini, Thomas Burlo, Mike Zanoni and Anton Demboski. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)

Finally, the team is very thankful for the hundreds of donations from businesses and individuals from around the country and the U.P.

The U.P. Honor Flight organization has been flying veterans — free of charge — to Washington D.C. to be treated to a very special day of visiting the memorials built in their honor since 2011. To date, 1,500 veterans have been honored. Each flight now costs $125,000 to $135,000. U.P. Honor Flight has more than 400 veterans on the waiting list and five missions are scheduled in the next 14 months.

Team members address local veterans at a special meet-and-greet at the Veterans War Memorial. From left, are Scott Lewellyn, Joe Pacheco, Dan Wentarmini, Melissa Wentarmini and Jim Ebli. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)