BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 A local senior living community is raising money to ensure veterans can continue making trips to Washington, D.C. to visit their memorials, following the recent 52nd Honor Flight.<\/p>\n
Magnolia Place Senior Assisted Living fired up the grill Wednesday, hosting an all-American hamburger barbecue to support the Honor Flight mission.<\/p>\n
“We really, really support our veterans, and we want to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to make that flight and see that memorial,” Alicia Justice said.<\/p>\n
Justice, social coordinator at Magnolia Place, says they have held fundraisers for years, sending at least six of their veteran residents to Washington D.C.<\/p>\n
“It’s made a tremendous difference, and especially when they do come back, they are so at peace when they come back from their trips,” Justice said.<\/p>\n
“They’re able to reconcile what they did and what they went through, and just leave it all back there,” Lili Marsh said.<\/p>\n
Marsh, the founder of Honor Flight Kern County, believes the trip is healing for many veterans \u2014 something Army veteran Alex Roese understands.<\/p>\n
“It’s very important for us, it was great for me to be with my peers, fellow veteran, and to see the monuments that were built for us in our honor,” Roese said.<\/p>\n
Every burger sold will help fund a free trip for a local veteran. Magnolia Place is hoping to raise enough money to send at least one veteran on the next Honor Flight.<\/p>\n
“When you donate, you see a change in someone just like that,” Marsh said.<\/p>\n