The Auburn Elks Lodge 474 has awarded a $1,000 grant to Honor Flight Syracuse, a nonprofit dedicated to transporting veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit war memorials. The donation, presented on Dec. 4, came through a Freedom Grant from the Elks National Foundation.
Freedom Grants are limited to the first 1,000 lodges that submit approved and qualifying grant applications. The funds support initiatives that honor and assist veterans.
The check was presented by Frank Saya, past state vice president of the Auburn Elks Lodge, and Valerie Parsons, exalted ruler of the lodge. Receiving the grant was Angelo Testani, director of philanthropy for Honor Flight Syracuse. Also in attendance were Don Saville, a retired U.S. Navy veteran with 25 years of service and 13 deployments, and Mike Damazyn, a retired U.S. Army veteran who served three years on active duty and 13 years in the National Guard.
Honor Flight Syracuse is part of a national network that helps veterans experience the nation’s capital and pay tribute to their military service. The program is free of charge to veterans, funded entirely by donations and volunteer efforts.
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