Quad Cities Honor Flight starting with the help of a student bike marathon

QUAD CITIES, Iowa/Ill. (KWQC) – Tuesday will be the 61st honor flight to Washington, D.C. featuring the Student Bike Marathon.

The trip organized by Honor Flight of the Quad Cities is known as the West Carroll Class 4 Bicycle Flight for Lee and Whiteside County.

Students at West Carroll Elementary School in Savanna, Illinois, have been raising money for the Honor Flight by organizing bike marathons for 11 years.

Each year, between 60 and 90 children walk or bike around Helle Park and engage with local veterans who share their military experiences.

“Fourth-grade teachers invite area veterans to come and talk to share their military stories a month before the bike ride. It helps students understand all that has been sacrificed to help our country be the best it can be,” said fourth-grade teacher Kristan Yingling.

The plane will include veterans and their caregivers from Lee, Whiteside and nearby Illinois counties. More than 70 trained volunteer caregivers will accompany them as they view monuments dedicated to their service.

“I hope they feel honored to finally be able to see the memorials erected for some of the people they lost,” said fourth-grade teacher Sidney Schmidt.

“Some people talk about seeing people they know on the walls, so just the chance to see them and then finally get the welcome they deserve when they come back is really important, and I know that having our students there means something to them big deal is that they see it too.

Fifth-grader William Sparboe was able to send one veteran as part of his fundraiser, and he’s certainly proud of the impact he made.

“It’s a good way to know that you’re making a difference in some way,” he said. “It’s just amazing to see these veterans walk by and just cry because you know you have reasons why they’re crying because you worked so hard to earn that money.

“It’s a really great thing to watch all the veterans,” William said.

West Carroll High School sophomore Avery Mangler now recognizes the importance of this fundraiser.

“Looking back on it now, I wish I had remembered more and thought more about the honorary flight than I actually did,” Avery said.

“It was like, ‘Oh, we’re going to ride bikes,’ but now when I look back and see what we did and what kids still do and will do,” Avery said. “It’s just very important.”

According to school officials, West Carroll Elementary School has raised more than $58,000 since 2011 and continues to meet or exceed its goal of sending 10 veterans on an Honor Flight each year.

The plane took off on Tuesday morning. Everyone is encouraged to arrive at Quad City International Airport to welcome veterans home around 10 p.m.