It is a ‘Day of Giving’ on Wednesday (October 11th) to help outfit those veterans who serve on honor guards for funerals of those who served our nation. ‘Operation Honor Guard’ will be collecting donations at the Sunset Center for Loss and Healing at 3550 North Vermilion in Danville between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Tom Morse, Commander of American Legion Post 210, helped funeral home operator Rich Darby form Operation Honor Guard four years ago. ‘’He saw us in line at a funeral and saw that we had fourteen different shades of pants and wanted to help. So he stepped up and created Operation Honor Guard, and it went from a small bucket campaign at WalMart to now a thirty-five collection site fundraiser,’’ said Morse.
Morse added members of the honor guards appreciate the support. ‘’We have people give money that they probably can’t afford. Some give the change out of their cars and other people give us checks. People tell us ‘you know I remember you did my grandfather and we didn’t think anything of helping you then, but now we think of it and we do it now.’’
Morse says donations can also be dropped off at ‘Operation Honor Guard’ locations at Sunset Urbas Funeral Chapel in Westville and at locations in Georgetown, Champaign, Watseka, Mattoon and Paris.
