MARION (WSIL) -- The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major disruption in the program that provides veterans with a free trip to Washington, D.C. to visit memorials built in their honor.
The has suspended all trips through the remainder of 2020. That includes flights planned here locally through the .
This year, 240 veterans were expected to make the trip from Marion to D.C., but those plans have now been pushed back to next spring.
"Nearly 500 on our waiting list, and not being able to take 240 this year, just leaves them sitting there on the waiting list, and we hate that. We know that the veterans are getting older, and they really want to take this trip," says Hope Patterson, a board member with Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois.
Despite a large waiting list, Patterson says they are still accepting applications.
"We want our veterans who have not yet applied with us to apply with us. If they're interested, we want to take them to Washington, D.C. If they've already submitted their application, there is no need to reapply. We will call them when their name comes to the top of our list. We take our veterans by age, and so our next flight that goes out when we're able to resume flying in 2021 will be our veterans that were to be honored in May of this year."
If a veteran is worried about COVID-19, Patterson says they can always say no and get on the next flight when called. The goal is to keep veterans safe.
