Dan Harrington has many great interests and hobbies, including but not limited to playing ice hockey and golfing. However, volunteering with Honor Flight Chicago is one of the things he loves best.
The Executive Director of Oak Trace senior living community in Downers Grove has volunteered with Honor Flight Chicago for 12 years. The not-for-profit organization takes American veterans of WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials that honor their service.
Dan, who has worked in senior living for 22 years, said several years ago, veterans living at the communities he managed started sharing their Honor Flight experiences with him when they returned home. He quickly signed on to volunteer with the organization. First, in addition to recruiting residents to participate in the experience, Dan would help see them off from the airport when they left for their trip. Soon after, he started traveling with veterans as a guardian and bus captain.
Dan accompanies the heroes on Honor Flight monthly throughout each summer. On July 14th, he will participate in his 33rd Honor Flight.
“Thank you are the two most powerful words in the English language. Being a volunteer for Honor Flight Chicago gives me the opportunity to say, ‘thank you’ to our heroes,” Dan said.
Photo: John Ptak, president of Honor Flight Chicago, and Dan Harrington, executive director of Oak Trace senior living community. Dan took the flag case in the photo on Honor Flight and then to the DC memorials on behalf of Dr. Barbara Webster of Downers Grove. The photos are of her father and uncles who served in the military.
