CINCINNATI — The St. Elizabeth Healthcare Honor Run raised more than $40,000 Sunday to help veterans travel to see their war memorials.
"I am grateful for them. You know, you can't even put into words," said Carole Leonard, who participated in the 10K. “Without them we all wouldn't be here.”
Leonard ran in memory of her father while holding an American flag.
“I lost him eight years ago,” she said. "He was always very proud of his service for the country.”
The Honor Run raises money each year for Honor Flight Tri-State, an organization that helps veterans travel to Washington D.C. to visit their war memorials.
“It is such a healing process for those men and women that get to go,” said Scott Spicher, Honor Run executive director. “We get to show them how grateful we are for what they have done for all of us.”
Spicher said the run has raised more than $300,000 for the organization throughout the years, and has helped more than 500 local veterans make the trip.
“I think everybody gets it because everybody in one way, shape or form has a connection to a veteran, whether it be somebody in your family or a neighbor or a friend,” he said.
Those connections made the course more personal for many participants.
“I'm running in honor of my father, who was a veteran in World War II and was a prisoner of war,” said David Palluconi, who ran the 10K. “It’s amazing what they did. No one can, can't even imagine what they did. My dad always said, 'It was my duty.' It was like there was never any question.”
