On June 9, thousands of runners will hit the paths of Onondaga Lake Park for the annual JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge. This 5-k race is a summer highlight for runners and companies alike in Central NY. This year, Honor Flight Syracuse has been selected as the charity beneficiary for this amazing event.

“Nationally, over 100,000 veterans have traveled to Washington, DC by one of 137 Honor Flight networks in the US,” said John Paddock, RADM, USN (Ret), vice president of the board for Honor Flight Syracuse. “We are dedicated to giving our veterans the honor they have so earned. This organization is entirely volunteer driven so we can provide the veterans a completely free trip to visit the memorials, and share memories with other veterans. We can provide this experience thanks to the support of the Central NY community and we are so appreciative of J.P. Morgan Chase for the opportunity to benefit from the Corporate Challenge.”

Honor Flight Syracuse will have a team of runners in the race, as well as a tent near the VIP area to share the mission of our organization. If you are out at the race, stop by to say hi!

Funds raised from this event will support future missions, including Mission 006, set for October 3, 2015. Mission 005 was held on April 25, 2015 and was a huge success, transporting 81 veterans to Washington, DC. Thanks to the generous support of the Central NY community, including events such as the Chase Corporate Challenge, we are able to charter a larger plane to bring even more vets to visit the memorials dedicated to their honor and sacrifice.