Crawfordsville News

There is still time to get in on some of the WACO Elementary softball games in Crawfordsville.

There is a game at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 19, another on Saturday, June 21 at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Two on Tuesday, June 24, one at 6 p.m. and another at 7: 15 p.m. and the last one on Monday June 30 at 6 p.m. The later games are T-ball games.

Come out and enjoy the games and join in the fun and have a pork burger or hot dog and a drink at the concession stand. The pork burgers are courtesy of Eichelberger Farms!

SOUTHEASTERN IOWA HONOR FLIGHT

Larry Black of Crawfordsville took part in the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight out of Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. This flight was sponsored by the Keith Romstad Memorial. It was the 55th flight since they started.

They arrived at The Eastern Iowa Airport at 5 a.m. for processing and boarding and departed at 7:15 a.m. and arrived at Reagan International Airport, where they were welcomed by many at 10:15 a.m. Eastern time. From there they boarded four buses. There were 80 Veterans, 80 Guardians and 23 personnel.

They went first to the World War II Memorial, went on a tour of D.C., had lunch on the bus and then onto the Korean and Vietnam Memorial. They were unable to visit the Lincoln Memorial, due to construction work being done on it. They then departed for the Air Force Memorial and then boarded the bus once again to go to Arlington National Cemetery. They are adding another 40 acres of burial ground, as they are burying 27 Veterans a day. They witnessed the changing of the guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the laying on of the wreath. There are thirty guards total and they use 10 guards a day and they rotate every 1/2 hr. in the summer and every two hours in the winter. This is done 24 hours a day. Guards train for nine months and they can only be a guard for two years.

From there they went to the Marine Memorial, where they enjoyed a picnic lunch and following that they left for the Reagan National Airport and at 8 p.m. Eastern time they departed for Cedar Rapids. They arrived home at 9:20 Central Time. They were greeted by representatives of many organizations, including the American Legion, Boy's and Girl's Scout and others.

Larry' s Guardian on the trip was his son-in-law, Brent Johnson from Linn Grove, IA. Larry served for nearly four years in the Navy as a Seabee from the fall of 1967 until 1971. He was in boot camp in San Diego. He served thirteen months in Vietnam and thirteen in Adak, Alaska and a tour of duty in Washington. He was impressed with the way everyone greeted them and the respect they were shown.

The oldest person on the trip was 92 years old and he had served in Korea and the youngest had served in Desert Storm. Those on the flight had served in Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm.

They had coffee and donuts at the airport and snacks and meals on the plane and bus were furnished by Hy-Vee, Arby's and Chick-fil-A.

They do four flights a year. Quaker Oats in Cedar Rapids bought and donated new wheelchairs for Veterans on this flight. As they got off the plane the Cedar Rapids Corvette Club presented each with a wooden plaque with their name on it that read "Always Remembered. America thanks you for your service."

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, Larry!!