The Duluth Area Chamber Foundation has partnered with Honor Flight Northland to resume local Honor Flights in 2025. The collaboration has been in the works for several months, and the Duluth Area Chamber Foundation is pleased to announce the next Honor Flight is now scheduled for May 31,2025.

Honor Flight Northland is the local chapter of the national Honor Flight Network, a national nonprofit organization comprised of independent hubs throughout the country working together to achieve the Honor Flight mission. In furtherance of this common goal, Honor Flight chapters have the enormous privilege of showing our nation’s veterans the appreciation and honor they deserve. Participation in an Honor Flight trip gives veterans the opportunity to share this momentous occasion with other comrades, remember the fallen, and share their stories and experiences with other veterans. Honored veterans always travel to Washington D.C. free of charge, thanks to generous contributions from local businesses/organizations and individual donors. While initially focused solely on America’s World War II era veterans, Honor Flight Network has expanded its mission to include those who served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War eras, as well as modern conflicts. To maximize the number of American veterans served by the organization, each eligible veteran may only be honored on a single Honor Flight trip.

Honor Flight Northland is a non-profit organization created to help honor veterans living in Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin for all their sacrifices. The chapter organizes and transports local heroes to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect on their memorials. Since 2010, over 1,000 veterans from the region have participated in the program. However, in recent years flights have been limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, retirements, and funding. The last flight was in the spring of 2023. While applications from interested veterans continue to be accepted, the organization was looking to restructure and in need of a fiscal host. Organizers reached out to the Duluth Area Chamber Foundation earlier in 2024 to gauge interest in working collaboratively to resume the program.

The Duluth Area Chamber Foundation is proud to officially partner with Honor Flight Northland to ensure the continuation of Honor Flights in 2025 and beyond. Supporting our military, veterans, and the economic impact of military installations is central to our mission—along with advancing the aerospace and aviation industries that are vital to our region. This partnership reflects those values and builds on a legacy of service and gratitude.

The newly established Honor Flight Northland Board includes representatives from both the Duluth Area Chamber and the Honor Flight community: Don Monaco, Judy Greske, Lisa Vogel, Renee Mattson, Terese Tomanek, Jon Birkeland, Kathleen Privette, and Matt Baumgartner.

We offer special thanks to Don Monaco, whose vision and dedication have enabled thousands of veterans to visit Washington D.C.— His legacy is profound, and we are honored to carry it forward.

Thanks to community generosity and a successful partnership with Sun Country, funding has been secured for the May 31, 2025 flight— including critical ground transportation and logistics support.

Looking ahead, our goal is to secure sustainable funding for multiple flights in the coming years, allowing us to prioritize veterans who are aging or facing health challenges. We are deeply grateful to everyone who supports this mission and welcome new partners who wish to help honor our region’s veterans.

A heartfelt thank you to all who have contributed to Honor Flight Northland and the Duluth Area Chamber Foundation. Special recognition goes to the All-American Club in Duluth and its Chair, Sharen Larson, for raising a record amount in support of this year’s flight!

To learn more about Honor Flight Northland, including eligibility and applications, please visit honorflightnorthland.org. To learn more about the Duluth Area Chamber Foundation, please visit duluthchamber.com/foundation. Please contact the Foundation at foundation@duluthchamber.com if you are interested in getting involved. If you are interested in making a donation, please click here to donate to the Foundation with a note that it is for Honor Flight.

2025 Honor Flight in the News:

WDIO: “Over 100 veterans head to D.C. on Honor Flight Northland”

Northern News Now: “Honor Flight Northland Escorts Veterans to D.C. for Memorial Visit”