© 2024 WXPR
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
In addition to the local news, WXPR Public Radio also likes to find stories that are outside the general news cycle... Listen below to stories about history, people, culture, art, and the environment in the Northwoods that go a little deeper than a traditional news story allows us to do. Here are all of the series we include in this podcast: Curious North, We Live Up Here, A Northwoods Moment in History, Field Notes, and Wildlife Matters.These features are also available as a podcast by searching "WXPR Local Features" wherever you get your podcasts.

Local Veteran Surprised with Honor Flight Trip

Tom Rudolph is a Korean War vet and served in the Army in 1953 and 1954. He lived in Minnesota at the time of his service, but has otherwise lived in Rhinelander and was a research scientist at the forestry sciences lab. To thank him for his service, students and staff at Pelican Elementary put on a popcorn fundraiser to send him on the Never Forgotten Honor Flight. They surprised him this morning at their annual Veteran’s Day program. Rudolph says he never saw it coming…

“..I never expected anything like this…I came
for our great granddaughter’s invitation here and didn’t know anything about it. I applied for an Honor Flight and knew I wanted to go and wouldn’t be going in April, but didn’t think I’d be getting a free ride I guess…”

The Never Forgotten Honor Flight was started by Jim Campbell and Mike Thompson and has flown nearly 2,400 veterans to Washington D.C. since its start seven years ago today. Students and staff at Pelican Elementary raised $1,000 and presented Campbell and Thompson with the check this morning.

The cost for a round trip ticket on the Honor Flight is about $500.  Rudolph and another vet will be flying to Washington D.C. in April.

Up North Updates
* indicates required