SYRACUSE — Each spring and fall, Honor Flight Syracuse whisks more than 70 veterans away to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials of the conflicts in which they served. Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic has grounded Honor Flight’s 15th mission. Since they cannot bring the veterans to the celebration in D.C., Honor Flight brought the celebration to local vets.

Honor Flight Syracuse, which serves 10 counties in Central New York, arranged volunteer caravans to deliver lawn signs reading “Proud Honor Flight Mission 15 Veteran Lives Here — Thank you for your service!” to 18 veterans in Onondaga and Oswego counties April 24.

Volunteers from Honor Flight Syracuse visited Don Ritschel, who lives in Syracuse Home at McHarrie Place in Baldwinsville, on April 24. Staff members helped Ritschel video chat with the Honor Flight team and his family. (Photo by Jodi Rowe)

Since the pandemic has grounded Honor Flight Syracuse’s 15th mission, the organization brought the celebration to local veterans. North Syracuse resident Adrian Bertelli was one of 18 veterans who received a visit and a lawn sign April 24. (Photo by Jodi Rowe)

Angelo Barnello, of Liverpool, was one of 18 veterans who received a Mission 15 lawn sign from Honor Flight Syracuse on April 24. (Photo by Jodi Rowe)

Honor Flight Syracuse presented Tom Negus, of Liverpool, with a lawn sign recognizing him as a Mission 15 veteran April 24. (Photo by Jodi Rowe)

“Although Honor Flight Syracuse missions to Washington, D.C., are still on hold, our volunteers are working here at home to ensure our veterans know they are appreciated and celebrated. Our Mission 15 veterans have been waiting patiently for their chance to fly … we are going to celebrate each and every one of them with a caravan of volunteers to say thanks and present them with a lawn sign of appreciation,” Amy Delia, Honor Flight Syracuse’s director of marketing communications, said in a statement prior to the event.

Ken Gavurnik, of Liverpool, coordinated one of the four volunteer caravans. His group visited four vets in Baldwinsville, Liverpool and North Syracuse.

“We had a great time and it’s fantastic to be able to meet with these guys,” said Gavurnik. “They really, really appreciate it. They love the fact that people still remember this stuff and just take a couple minutes to thank them.”

Gavurnik, a veteran himself, is a member of a veterans organization within his employer, National Grid. He said it is important to give back to those who put their lives on the line for our country.

“For me personally, I feel it just offers some respect and honors these veterans that served our country and sacrificed so much to protect our freedoms,” he said. “I truly believe these men and women … are doing a great service to our country.”

As the number of World War II and Korean War veterans dwindles — according to Honor Flight Syracuse, nearly 1,000 of these veterans pass away each day, and many of them have reached 100 years old — Honor Flight’s mission grows more urgent each year.

Honor Flight Syracuse is tentatively planning on carrying out Mission 15 this fall. Each flight costs $30,000 and requires hundreds of donors and volunteers are needed to make it happen. To learn more, visit honorflightsyracuse.org.