Honor Flight wants to fly 80 Manatee and Sarasota County WWII vets to D.C.

MANATEE -- Honor Flight® of West Central Florida is raising donations to finance "Mission 22," an all-expense-paid trip June 23 for 80 World War II veterans from Manatee-Sarasota to visit the war memorials in Washington, D.C.

More than 300 local World War II veterans averaging 91 years of age are on the Honor Flight waiting list.

Honor Flight Network is a nonprofit organization dedicated to flying veterans to reflect at memorials built to honor their service to the nation.

Honor Flights are free for veterans.

To nominate a veteran for Honor Flight and for more information, contact Melissa Fox-Howard at 941-587-8166 or mfox80@hotmail.com.

To donate: honorflightwcf.org/donate-today.html or by check at Honor Flight of West Central Florida, P.O. Box 55661, St. Petersburg FL 33732. Specify "Mission 22" in your donation or via email to info@honorflightwcf.org.

Golf group donates $11,000 to Hope Family Services

BRADENTON -- A group of fewer than 60 golfers known as the University Park Country Club 9-HOLE LPGA members have donated $11,000 to Hope Family Services, which helps domestic violence survivors.

This is the fourth year members focused on shelter children's need for a safe place.

Information: HopeFamilyService.org.

-- Herald staff reports

This story was originally published April 8, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Honor Flight wants to fly 80 Manatee and Sarasota County WWII vets to D.C.."