DENVER — A few times a year, a handful of Colorado veterans take the trip of a lifetime.
The veterans fly to Washington, D.C., to see the memorials celebrating their service and to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
9NEWS worked to give that opportunity to even more veterans with a telethon on Thursday, July 7 to raise funds for Rocky Mountain Honor Flight.
Donations can be made online here.
> Donate online now: Rocky Mountain Honor Flight
Rocky Mountain Honor Flight is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization and receives no government funding. Honor Flight funding comes from private donations.
To date, the nonprofit has taken about 1,350 veterans to Washington.
The organization completed its 39th flight in June, with two more scheduled for September and October. Each trip of three days and two nights, for which the veterans pay nothing, costs $60,000 to $65,000.
All donations are tax deductible. All funds raised during the telethon go directly to organizing additional flights for Colorado veterans.
In the nation's capital, the veterans will have the opportunity to visit the war memorial honoring their sacrifice, connect with comrades in arms and receive the recognition of generations of grateful Coloradans.
Each flight carries veterans, their guardians and medical staff. All staff members are volunteers. The trip is always free for veterans.
The first Rocky Mountain Honor Flight was in 2008. Since then, the chapter has made more than 30 trips with more than 1,000 World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans.
Top priority is given to the most senior heroes as well as those who are terminally ill. According to the organization, it is estimated that less than 500,000 World War II veterans are alive today, with more than 500 passing away each day.
On the Honor Flight trip, veterans spend two days visiting sites in Washington, D.C. Stops include the World War II Memorial, Navy Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington Navy Yard, Arlington National Cemetery, Air Force Memorial, Marine Corps Memorial, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
> Donate online now: Rocky Mountain Honor Flight
You can read more about the Rocky Mountain Honor Flight at RockyMountainHonorFlight.org.
> Top stories curated daily just for you! Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTER to get can’t-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered right to your inbox.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Warrior Way
MORE WAYS TO GET 9NEWS
Subscribe to our daily 9NEWSLETTER
Download the 9NEWS APP
iTunes: http://on9news.tv/itunes
Google Play: http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n
HOW TO ADD THE 9NEWS APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "9news" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
