CARSON CITY, NEVADA, July 6, 2021 - Nonprofit Dream Flights is pleased to announce a new national partner, OneDay, a Dallas-based technology company best known for video storytelling within senior living communities. The partnership will allow the nonprofit to record and preserve for posterity 1,000+ World War II heroes’ stories during Operation September Freedom, the nonprofit’s first mission dedicated to honoring veterans who served in a specific war with free Dream Flights. Dream Flights has honored more than 4,200 seniors and veterans living in senior living and long-term care communities since 2011.
“At OneDay, our vision is a world where no one's story goes untold, and we are incredibly honored to partner with Dream Flights to capture and digitally preserve the important stories and memories of these WWII heroes,” said Clint Lee, co- founder and CEO of OneDay. “There’s no greater purpose of ours than storytelling. Through stories, we hope to honor our U.S. veterans and the contribution and sacrifice they’ve made to our country, while preserving their piece of history and legacy.”
During a 20-minute Dream Flight, veterans experience the freedom and exhilaration of soaring 1,000 feet in the air in an iconic Stearman biplane, the same aircraft used to train WWII aviators. The experience, said Dream Flights Founder Darryl Fisher, has a “magical effect on Dream Flyers. Their minds have never been clearer and many times they tell stories never before shared. OneDay’s video app promises their experience and their stories live on -- for their families and for our country.”
During the 61-day tour beginning Aug. 1 through Sept. 30, 2021, Dream Flights’ volunteer pilots will fly six restored Stearmans to 300+ cities in 49 states to honor World War II heroes. Mid-campaign, Sept. 8, Dream Flight crews will rendezvous at the 50th National Stearman Fly-in in Galesburg, Ill., to honor select WWII veterans with free Dream Flights. After, the crews will return to their home bases, stopping in towns along the way to honor more WWII veterans with flights. According to Fisher, Operation September Freedom may be the nation’s last opportunity to thank members of the greatest generation for their service and sacrifice.
The name Operation September Freedom, he said, represents the Sept. 2, 1945 signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, which effectively ended WWII. Dream Flights are always free to veterans and their families. The nonprofit relies on corporate sponsors, donors and individual donations to support its mission. This year, Discovery Senior Living, Argentum and the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living joined the team of national partners. Every dollar donated supports the maintenance, fuel, and other costs directly related to operating six Stearman biplanes during a 61 day national tour. Tax-deductible donations can be made at https://dreamflights.org/donate/. Follow Dream Flights at Facebook.com/dreamflightsorg
Dream Flights’ Operation September Freedom is supported by the generosity of its primary sponsor SportClips and national partners American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living, Argentum, Discovery Senior Living, Veterans United Home Loans, VFW and OneDay. American Airlines is the official airline of Dream Flights.