Elvis friends play to benefit Honor Flight

April 30th 2008

From staff reports
Huntsville Times
Concert set for June 19 will help send vets to D.C.

Some of Elvis Presley's former bandmates are performing in Huntsville in June to benefit local World War II veterans.

"The Elvis Presley Story" includes Ronnie McDowell, who had a 1977 hit in "The King is Gone"; The Stamps Quartet, Elvis' backup artists during the 1970s; D.J. Fontana, Elvis' drummer for 14 years; and Millie Kirkham, soprano vocalist for "Blue Christmas" and "My Wish Came True."

The June 19 concert is 7:30 p.m. at the Von Braun Center Concert Hall. Map with directions to the Concert Hall, Huntsville Alabama. http://www.vonbrauncenter.com/pages/maps.html

Proceeds benefit the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Honor Flight, a volunteer organization that sends World War II veterans to visit their war memorial in Washington, D.C. More than 250 veterans are slated for flights in May and September. Proceeds from the concert will pay for an October flight.

Honor Flight set up fundraiser packages for corporate sponsors:

Corps sponsors ($5,000) get eight VIP tickets, eight backstage passes, 24 additional concert tickets, and a reception after the concert. Two Corps packages are available for purchase.

Division sponsors ($2,500) get four tickets in the VIP section, eight backstage passes, and 12 concert tickets. Six Division packages are available.

Brigade sponsors ($1,000) get two tickets in the VIP section, two backstage passes, and six concert tickets. Ten Brigade packages are available.

Regimental sponsors ($500) get an advertisement in the concert program.

All sponsors get an ad in the program. Payments are counted as charitable donations.

In April 2007, Honor Flight first took 14 veterans on an all-expense paid trip to tour war monuments in Washington. Nearly 250 veterans attended the next two trips in September 2007 and April 2008.

For many veterans, Honor Flight is the last chance to see their memorial. Since the local chapter started taking applications for the flights last January, about 50 veterans have died, a chapter official said in February.

It's estimated that 1,200 World War II veterans across the country die each day.

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