FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Sixty-nine Valley veterans and their guardians departed Monday morning from Fresno Yosemite International Airport as part of Central Valley Honor Flight 36, a trip that gives veterans the opportunity to visit war memorials in Washington, D.C., built in their honor.

Accompanied by the sound of bagpipes, veterans representing the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps boarded the flight for what organizers described as “a trip of a lifetime.”

For some participants, the journey had been years in the making.

“We submitted our application two years ago and we called each other up and decided to make it a family memory honor flight,” said Geno Rivera, a U.S. Army veteran.

The experience became a family affair for Rivera and others.

“We all brought our sons with us as our guardians,” Rivera said.

The trip nearly did not happen because of funding challenges. According to the organization’s website, Central Valley Honor Flight relies entirely on donations allowing veterans to participate at no cost. Each trip costs about $1,500 per veteran, covering expenses including a chartered aircraft, tour buses in Washington, lodging and meals.

The nonprofit organization said it needed to raise $150,000 to send veterans to the nation’s capital to visit memorials dedicated to their service. In July, Central Valley Honor Flight announced it had surpassed that fundraising goal.

“I’ve got to say the community really stepped up. We have an unbelievable community. We live in a special place filled with special people and to see generosity on display. Central Valley Honor Flight is simply a generous reflection of the valley when it comes to our veterans,” Central Valley Honor Flight President Paul Loeffler said at the time.

The donations came from more than 1,000 individuals, small businesses and service clubs from Modesto to Porterville, helping make Flight 36 possible.

“To do 36 of these from our Valley shows the pride and generosity — it’s a statement,” said Rep. Jim Costa, who was present ahead of the departure.

Before boarding, veterans also expressed their appreciation to the community that helped fund the trip.

“We especially like to thank the Valley for putting this on — we’d really like to thank them from the bottom of our hearts for making this possible. We really thank you very much, from all of us,” Rivera said.

Veterans participating in Central Valley Honor Flight 36 are scheduled to return to Fresno on Wednesday evening, when a homecoming celebration is planned at Fresno Yosemite International Airport.

Applications also remain open for Central Valley Honor Flight 37, which is expected to depart next spring.

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