Friday was a big day for local World War II veterans and volunteers with Honor Flight — Southwest Minnesota.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie invited the group to his office in St. Paul to honor them with a special statewide proclamation.

The month of March has been designated “Southwest Minnesota Honor Flight Initiative Month.”

On the same day, the group announced it raised $115,000 of the $136,000 needed to send a flight of local veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the World War II memorial and other national monuments.

On April 30, 110 veterans and their guardians will depart from the Sioux Falls airport for a two-day, all-expense-paid trip.

The flight will include southwest Minnesota veterans from Rock, Nobles, Pipestone and Murray counties.

Rock County veterans who attended Friday’s ceremony in St. Paul were Ray Anderson, Bob Anderson, Jake Boomgaarden, Helmer Haakenson, Gerrit (Casey) Van Engelenhoven, LeRoy Luitjens, Warren Herreid and Floyd Goembel.

Also attending were Larry Lanphere, director of SW Minnesota Honor Flight; Jane Wildung Lanphere, executive committee member of SW Minn. Honor Flight; Terri Gulden, executive committee member of SW Minn. Honor Flight; and Glen Gust, executive committee member of SW Minn. Honor Flight. 

The state proclamation, signed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, outlines why Honor Flight — Southwest Minnesota is so honored.

Among other reasons, it states, “The Honor Flight program provides a wonderful opportunity for people across our state and nation to show appreciation and support for veterans who have given so much of themselves to protect and defend our country.”

The local Honor Flight committee will begin calling veterans Thursday to inform them they have been selected to go.

More veterans applied for an Honor Flight trip than can go with this first flight, so fundraising efforts are still underway to charter another flight this year.