SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Three Dayton businesses have combined to contribute $25,000 to Wednesday’s Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.

The financial support of the businesses helped accelerate a local fund raising dollar-for-dollar matching effort that makes it possible for more than 130 World War II veterans to visit their memorial in the nations capital for a day.

Grismer Auto and Tire Service Centers, WinWholesales Win Group of Companies, and KeyBank are the local companies that have boosted the campaign with major corporations.

Honor Flight, a national organization that originated in Springfield, is the most honorable of charities for all our war veterans. Wednesday’s flight is historic because its the first charter flight made possible by the contributions of local companies and citizens, said John Marshall, Grismer vice president.

Now, members of the greatest generation, men and women who fought to save the world, to go to Washington and see their memorial and be honored in the nations capital.

Marshall wanted to remind the community that his company’s $10,000 donation, WinWholesales $10,000 and the $5,000 contributed by Keybank are all matching funds. That is the point of encouraging the community to contribute, Marshall added.

He added, “our companies are matching dollar-for-dollar every citizen contribution. We hope the local media will continue to work with us to inform the community to act now and contribute”

Community residents are encouraged to go to any KeyBank to make a donation at any teller window.

The mission of the National Honor Flight Network is to fly or transport by recreational vehicles Americas veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit those memorials dedicated to honor their sacrifices. Top priority is given to Americas most senior veterans - survivors of World War II or any vet with a terminal illness who wishes to visit his/her memorial.

Throughout each trip, veterans are guided and hosted by volunteer guardians. As of August 2008, during flying season from April through November, over 10,000 vets have been taken by plane to Washington. A new program, RV travel for veterans to Washington, is now underway as a partner to the flight program thanks to recreational vehicle donations by RV businesses and caring citizens -gasoline cost defrayment is provided by Marathon Oil.

All money provided for each veterans trip is gained through fund raising. These are special trips for military men who never made it to Washington, D.C. to see their memorials in the years following their military discharge.

There is an urgency to transport as many World War II vets as soon as possible because approximately 1,200 World War II veterans die each day. The Greatest Generation is rapidly passing on, yet thousands of WWII vets continue to sign up with their local chapters in hopes of making this trip. There are currently 6,000 veterans on the national waiting list with thousands more applying every month.

The Honor Flight program began just a little over three years ago, on May 21, 2005, at a municipal airport in Springfield Ohio. The day of the first honor flight, a small aircraft took to the air with 12 veterans while one chase plane followed for support. The national Honor Flight Network is headquartered in Springfield.

The Honor Flight Network hopes to transport as many of the thousands more who wait as soon as possible. And then, in the years ahead, Honor Flight will continue the program and include Korean, Vietnam and Gulf War veterans in their transportation efforts.

Interested parties can view the official national website for Honor Flight Network at www.honorflight.org . Donations can be made at the site by clicking on the donations link on the home page.