by Alysia English / Photos by Steve Kendall
W
ith a smile that lights up the room, Sadie “Kashey” Odum beams enthusiasm and support for Coastal Georgia Honor Flight. The 94-year old Navy veteran flew this past May to Washington, DC, as part of 75 local military veterans and their 75 guardians honored for their service. Honor Flight flies area veterans via private chartered airline from Brunswick, Georgia, to the nation’s capitol in a day of celebration, reflection and recognition. The 2019 flight is accepting applications, with priority given to WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans. Veterans fly 70
ELEGANT ISLAND LIVING
free, courtesy of donations, sponsorships and fundraising throughout the year. Odum explained, “I hope every veteran gets the opportunity to go on Honor Flight. It is simply an amazing day. ‘Honored’ is exactly the right word. When I first heard about it, I thought it was just a bunch of people getting on a plane and heading their separate ways in DC. It is very different from that; we were treated like royalty everywhere we went, with cheers, thanks and smiles. You almost can’t describe it in words. The support and goodwill for veterans, it’s overwhelming.”
TOP: Odum was first off the plane at the 2018 community Heroes’ Homecoming at the Brunswick airport; over 700 people welcomed the flight with cheers, flag-waving and applause. ABOVE: World War II reenactment crews with 1940s attire and equipment welcomed Odum and the other veterans at the WWII memorial in Washington, DC. OPPOSITE PAGE: Sadie “Kashey” Odum and her Honor Flight guardian, son-in-law Stan Cottrell, share a brief rest during the day-long Honor Flight.
