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UP Honor Flight Cycling Team plans ‘Ride of Honor’ fundraiser Aug. 10-11

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IRON MOUNTAIN -- Duty. Honor. Country. A group of eight dedicated cyclists from the Iron Mountain area have formed the U.P. Honor Flight Cycling Team and will make their first fundraising "Ride of Honor," on Aug. 10-11, to honor all Upper Peninsula military veterans and to raise funds to support the U.P. Honor Flight organization.

"We are looking forward to riding the 200 miles starting at the Veterans War Memorial at the top of Pine Mountain and finishing on the shore of Lake Michigan at the American Legion Park in St. Ignace" said team member Scott Lewellyn.

"We will be starting at 6 a.m. at the memorial and then ride through the Oscar G Johnson VA Medical facility and wave to our veterans in the Community Living Center and the entire staff at the VA who serve our heroes," team members said.

The team also invites all local veterans to attend a starting ceremony of the "Ride of Honor" at the U.P. Veterans War Memorial on Wednesday, Aug. 10, atop Pine Mountain. Veterans should plan to arrive no later than 5:45 a.m. to participate and to be honored by the team.

A fundraising event is planned at the half-way point at the Manistique Veterans of Foreign Wars. All veterans, the general public and visitors to the U.P. are invited to the Manistique VFW from 4 to 8 p.m. Eastern time Aug. 10.

All of the team members will be wearing cycling jerseys that represent each branch of the military and will honor family, friends and all veterans who served. Most importantly, team members will also wear jerseys honoring POW/MIA and fallen heroes.

"I will be wearing a U.S. Air Force jersey," said Melissa Wentarmini. "I am an Air Force brat, so I will be honoring my father who served in the Air Force. I am also proud to wear the jersey to honor my son who will soon be serving in the Air Force."

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, 1,393 veterans have been honored.

"Many veterans have shared with me that their Honor Flight experience was the 'trip of a lifetime' and they are truly effected in a positive way as they share emotions and reflect on their time serving with their friends," said Lewellyn.

All members of the U.P. Honor Flight Cycling team share a great sense of duty to make this ride and to do everything possible to raise funds for deserving veterans. Why? The team will let one of the recent U.P. Honor Flight heroes tell you:

Pete Haepers, an Army veteran from Norway, served in Vietnam in 1967-68. Haepers and his fellow soldiers had an extremely dangerous job while serving our country. "I loved going on the Honor Flight. My best friend, Gary Johnson, a Vietnam veteran, sat next to me. I always wanted to go to D.C., but could never afford it," said Haepers. "I got to see the Vietnam Wall that had my friends' names carved into it. Very emotional for me. I am hoping all Vietnam veterans can go to this sacred place someday."

The cycling team wants to encourage everyone in the U.P. who has always wanted the opportunity to support Honor Flight to join the team and raise funds to help pay for the cost of one Honor Flight. Each flight now costs $125,000 to $135,000. U.P. Honor Flight has over 400 veterans on the waiting list and five missions are scheduled in the next 14 months.

To support the UP Honor Flight Cycling Team and the "Ride of Honor" donations can be mailed to: UPHF -CT, 920 Stockbridge Ave., Iron Mountain, MI 49801, or made online by going to www.uphonorflight.org. Please note "Ride of Honor" on the online donation form.

U.P. Honor Flight is a 501c3 organization and all donations are tax deductible.

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