Dozens of people recently came together for the ultimate cause: raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide veterans with an honor flight to Washington, D.C.
Missions of Honor, an Appleton, Wisc, based organization that celebrates the service and sacrifice of veterans from every generation, hosted its annual “Pulling for Honor” event on Aug. 15.
Described by organizers as “a powerful reminder of what can happen when a community comes together to support an incredible cause,” the event raised $125,000—which is more than enough money to cover an entire Old Glory Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. to honor veterans’ service and sacrifice to the nation. The flight was introduced in 2009.
The event involved 28 20-member teams that came to show their strength. They all lined up on the sunny afternoon to see who could pull a 140,000-pound FedEx jet plane 12 feet the fastest. The team called “Dodge Warriors” was victorious, with a time of 8.355 seconds.
“We had a mix of everything for anyone that came to the event,” Kim Vachon, a spokesperson for Missions of Honor, told Military.com. “For the kids, we had a ‘kiddie plane’ so they could test their strength in a one-person pull. We also had face painters, yard games and a mini racetrack with RC race cars.
“The event was full of family-friendly activities as well, like a hangar-full of a variety of veteran-affiliated exhibitors, a dunk tank, a mini Fox Valley food truck rally, and a grandstand filled with spectators cheering on all the teams.”
Money Spent Wisely to Benefit Veterans
The event sparked smiles and cheers, from the participants on the more than two dozen teams, to the youth attendees who found fun in the aforementioned children’s areas.
Dodge Warriors had the fastest time, followed by the Green Bay Rugby Football Club (8.599 seconds) and Gotta Have Faith (8.633 seconds).
Members on the Green Bay Rugby Football Club team reportedly used their rugby training to their advantage.
“It’s a lot like a rugby strum, except you’ve got a plane attached to your back,” club member Nich Coehoorn told local WLUK. “Every practice we’re doing our strums, it’s man versus man, and you’re pushing as hard as you can. So, we’re just taking that force with a rope on your back and pulling.”
Vachon told Military.com that the organization’s 2026 flight season is rounding out with two more missions, Freedom to Liberty 4 and Freedom to Liberty 5.
Described as “missions of healing” recognizing Global War on Terror veterans, the flight missions offer a no-cost, multiple-day retreat to New York City to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum at Ground Zero, the Freedom Tower, and the Statue of Liberty.
“The proceeds from events like Pulling for Honor and the generous donors in our community will continue to support our veterans on Old Glory Honor Flights, Freedom to Liberty: A Mission of Healing retreats, and other unique special missions that we supply our local Veterans completely free of charge,” Vachon said.
That includes airfare, lodging needs (if applicable), meals, planned activities, and all supplies/care needs to fully supply an unforgettable “red-carpet” experience to every veteran that goes on their missions.
Next year’s rendition of this event will be held Aug. 21, 2027, at the Appleton Flight Center.
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