Area veteran seeks to raise funds for Honor Flights
CAROLYN BOSTICK | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 months, 3 weeks AGO
Joe Deacon speaks about the importance of Honor Flight for local veterans and announced a fundraiser for Nov. 8 at the Eagles Club in Coeur d'Alene on Friday.
CAROLYN BOSTICK/Press
Isaac the comfort dog gets a hug from a veteran during a past Honor Flight.
Isaac the comfort dog stands at the ready during a Rotary Club luncheon Friday. He's mainly stationed with the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Spokane Valley and has accompanied local veterans on past Honor Flights.
Joe Deacon and his brothers, Tom and Bill Deacon, and their Honor Flight guardian, Gina Cadagan, stand in front of a memorial statue in Washington D.C. The brothers were able to attend the event together although they live in different states. From left: Tom Deacon, Gina Cadagan, Bill Deacon and Joe Deacon.
Carolyn Bostick has worked for the Coeur d’Alene Press since June 2023. She covers Shoshone County and Coeur d'Alene. Carolyn previously worked in Utica, New York at the Observer-Dispatch for almost seven years before briefly working at The Inquirer and Mirror in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Since she moved to the Pacific Northwest from upstate New York in 2021, she's performed with the Spokane Shakespeare Society for three summers. | August 7, 2024 1:09 AM
COEUR d'ALENE — Joe Deacon, who served stateside while his two brothers fought in Vietnam, shared his experiences from a recent Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., with the Rotary Club on Friday.
"The brotherhood of veterans is strong in Kootenai County," Deacon said, urging North Idaho residents to support local veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam in taking their own Honor Flights.
Describing the emotional impact of the trip, Deacon said, "Every one of us was in tears. You cannot imagine how emotional it was."
Accompanying Deacon at the Rotary luncheon were Gina Cadagan, who served as the brothers' guardian during the trip, and Isaac, a golden retriever comfort dog from Lutheran Church Charities.
Isaac, trained to provide emotional support for veterans, especially during flights, is based in Spokane Valley but visits Coeur d'Alene weekly. "Isaac was the equalizer," Deacon noted.
With Honor Flights costing $200,000 per round-trip and a recent flight cancelled due to lack of funds, Deacon emphasized the importance of recognizing Vietnam-era veterans. "All of these veterans from the Vietnam era never got any recognition after they came back from their years of deployment," he said.
A fundraiser for Honor Flight is planned for Friday, Nov. 8, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Coeur d'Alene Eagles Club. It will feature big band music.
Isaac the comfort dog gets a hug from a veteran during a past Honor Flight.
Isaac the comfort dog stands at the ready during a Rotary Club luncheon Friday. He's mainly stationed with the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Spokane Valley and has accompanied local veterans on past Honor Flights.
Joe Deacon and his brothers, Tom and Bill Deacon, and their Honor Flight guardian, Gina Cadagan, stand in front of a memorial statue in Washington D.C. The brothers were able to attend the event together although they live in different states. From left: Tom Deacon, Gina Cadagan, Bill Deacon and Joe Deacon.MORE FRONT-PAGE-SLIDER STORIES
Coeur d'Alene veteran seeks to raise funds for Honor Flights
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 9 months, 4 weeks ago
Coeur d'Alene veteran seeks to raise funds for Honor Flights
Bonners Ferry Herald | Updated 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Coeur d'Alene man joins brothers on Honor Flight to Washington DC
Coeur d'Alene Press | Updated 1 year ago
ARTICLES BY CAROLYN BOSTICK
Idaho legislators talk Medicaid changes
The race is on to make 11 changes to Medicaid before 2026 or face repealing Medicaid expansion. Talks with state leaders took place Friday to better detail how current care systems work, how that would differ from an application of House Bill 138 and what needs to be amended before next July or risk repealing Medicaid expansion.
Coeur d'Alene seniors take their projects to the professionals for night of feedback
Coeur d’Alene School District seniors stepped out of their comfort zones Wednesday as they took their senior project to a panel of entrepreneurs and industry experts at the Innovation Den
Coeur d'Alene High School sophomore selected as mental health champion
Haggen Walker didn’t receive just one or two recommendations for the award he received Tuesday at Coeur d’Alene High School. He didn’t even receive three recommendations to be made this year’s mental health champion for North Idaho. Instead, a total of four different staff members at CHS lauded his efforts through small and large efforts to uplift his fellow students.