PPEC raises funds for Honor Flight project

VW independent/submitted information

PAULDING — Paulding Putnam Electric employees, along with the help of its members, local businesses, and community leaders, have raised close to $30,000 so far to go toward the Honor Flight organization. The goal is raise $70,000 to sponsor an entire Honor Flight from Northeast Indiana Chapter, which serves northwest Ohio and northeast Indiana.

For those not familiar with Honor Flight, it is a nonprofit organization created solely to honor America’s veterans for all their sacrifices by flying them to Washington, D.C., to reflect at their memorials. The cost to sponsor an entire flight averages anywhere from $65,000 to $70,000.

Paulding Putnam Electric Co-op’s (PPEC) other goal is to locate the remaining World War II veterans in this region, so they can go on this amazing experience.

“While there is a long waiting list currently, World War II veterans and those terminally ill are bumped up on the first flights, “says Erika Willitzer, marketing & economic development manager at PPEC. “We want to make sure these brave men and women get this opportunity, before it’s too late.”

In order to accomplish the goal of sponsoring an entire flight, PPEC is accepting corporate and individual donations. The co-op is also holding a truck raffle, where area residents have the opportunity to win a brand new Chevy Silverado pickup truck. Donations and tickets can be purchased online at the PPEC website www.PPEC.coop.

When the weather gets warmer, Paulding Putnam Electric employees also plan to hold several community luncheons to bring awareness to the cause. The luncheons will be held throughout PPEC’s service territory: Paulding, Putnam, Defiance, Van Wert and Allen counties in Ohio, and Adams and Allen counties in Indiana. Details on the times and dates of the community luncheons will be announced at a later date.