Greater Peoria Honor Flight

06/16/2026

Congratulations, Tom!
We’re so grateful to have you leading our medical team. Your care and dedication to our veterans truly shine. Thank you for your years of service to our community and your ongoing support of the Greater Peoria Honor Flight. You’re a blessing to us all!

Congratulations to Tom Myers, Director of Nursing at Ever True Lutheran Hillside Village, on being recognized with the Excellence in Clinical Practice Award.

This award celebrates alumni who lead with compassion, clinical expertise, and innovation in patient care. Tom is a true example of excellence in nursing practice, improving patient outcomes while serving as a role model for others in the profession.

We are proud to celebrate his dedication to high-quality, patient-centered care.

Join us in celebrating these outstanding alumni at our Annual Alumni Homecoming Event on October 3.

06/11/2026

We’ve received several inquiries about Operation Penguin. Take a moment to watch this clip from our inaugural event. Also, be sure to tune into 25 News next Thursday for an update from Yvonne on OP 2026! We hope to see you at the welcome home to celebrate our hometown heroes.

Operation Penguin makes honor flight experience possible for vetera...

06/09/2026

2 weeks until our second Operation Penguin!
Join us on June 23rd at 5:30 PM at the Peoria Civic Center as we honor 45 hometown heroes. 🇺🇸

06/07/2026

Congratulations to Major General Dan McDonough on his retirement from the Illinois Air National Guard. We are honored that he has chosen to continue his service by joining our board as the Director of Operations. 🇺🇸

Maj. Gen. Daniel McDonough retired from the Illinois Air National Guard after almost 40 years of service.

06/05/2026

Huge congratulations to 25News for winning the regional Edward R. Murrow Award for your exceptional news documentary, Operation Roll Call: The Greater Peoria Honor Flight.

Your commitment to sharing the stories of our central Illinois heroes with such care and compassion is a true gift to our community. These powerful narratives will resonate for generations to come. We are immensely grateful for your support.

Check out the award-winning documentary by clicking the link below!

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

06/02/2026

Thank you to the Pekin Community High School Jr. ROTC for your unwavering dedication and support for the Greater Peoria Honor Flight! Every dinner, your team performs the POW/MIA table ceremony with such respect and precision, honoring those who have yet to come home.

At our last dinner, we had the privilege of welcoming an all-female group from the Jr. ROTC. It was truly special to introduce them to some of our female veterans-both active and retired-who shared their wisdom and encouragement with the next generation. Your commitment to honoring those who served is inspiring, and we are grateful for your partnership in honoring all who have served! 🇺🇸

06/01/2026

What does community mean to Central Illinois? It’s about recognizing needs and responding with care and compassion. It’s attending local events and supporting one another. It’s all about taking care of our people.

Time and time again, we’re amazed by the generosity of our community. Here’s just a glimpse of the incredible support for GPHF throughout the year. We couldn’t do what we do without you. Thank you for being part of a community that truly shows up! 💙

05/31/2026

It’s official! We’ve added another flight!
Flight #5 for 2026 is proudly sponsored by your Central Illinois Hy-Vee stores!
We’re grateful for our partnership with Hy-Vee, who not only sponsored our 5th flight last year but has also continued to generously provide discounted meals and essential items throughout the year. Thank you for supporting our mission to honor all who have served! 🇺🇸

05/30/2026

Operation Penguin is just a few weeks away! Our call team is busy reaching out to our heroes, and the excitement is building. We’re thrilled to announce that we’ll have a service member from every conflict the U.S. has been involved in, from World War II to the present day. It’s an incredible honor to celebrate these remarkable men and women from Central Illinois.

We invite you to welcome them home at the Civic Center on June 23rd at 5:30 PM.

05/28/2026

Thank you, Central Illinois! It was incredible to see hundreds of you come out to honor our hometown heroes.
Welcome home, Flight #39! Thank you for your service! ♥️