BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. – April 2, 2021 (Newswire.com) – Discovery Senior Living has announced a three-year partnership with non-profit organization Dream Flights, which during its 2021 Operation September Freedom tour aims to “locate members of the Greatest Generation…(and) thank them, one last time, for sacrificing their lives to ensure our freedoms” with free Dream Flights in restored Boeing Stearman biplanes. For Dream Flights, which to date has flown more than 4,200 seniors and veterans, many of whom resided in U.S. senior living and long-term care communities, this represents the first-ever partnership with a national senior living provider.
The partnership will see Discovery Senior Living, through its Discovery Makes a Difference charitable initiative, contribute financial and other resources, as well as assist in the location of eligible veterans, who will be invited to experience 20-minute Dream Flights in one of six, restored Stearman biplanes.
“Military roots run deep within our Discovery family, from myself and members of our leadership team, right on through to the brave men and women who live and work in our communities every day,” said Richard J. Hutchinson, CEO, Discovery Senior Living. “We’re proud to partner with Dream Flights and will cherish every opportunity to create indelible memories in the lives of resident seniors and so many others from around the country.”
Immediate efforts will be focused on Dream Flights’ upcoming Operation September Freedom, a historic, national barnstorming event which will run from August 1 through September 30 and aim to honor as many WWII veterans as possible with free Dream Flights. Mid-campaign, September 6-11, 2021, Dream Flights crews will rendezvous at the 50th National Stearman Fly-in in Galesburg, IL, where they will honor WWII veterans. After, crews will travel back to their home bases, stopping along the way in cities and towns to honor more WWII veterans.
“Operation September Freedom may be our nation’s last opportunity to recognize and honor the men and women who defended our country in WWII,” said Darryl Fisher, founder and President of Dream Flights. Of the 16 million Americans who served in WWII, only an estimated 100,000 remain living today, with the youngest WWII veteran being age 95 in 2021.
“Honoring more than 1,000 WWII veterans during Operation September Freedom is an ambitious mission,” says Fisher. “We’re grateful for the support and resources Discovery Senior Living provides and we’re proud to have them on our team of sponsors.”
Discovery Senior Living has been a steady supporter of armed forces veterans and related causes, with volunteer and charitable giving initiatives conducted multiple times each year at both the community and corporate levels. The company currently owns and operates a national, multi-brand portfolio of more than 70 communities in 15 states.
About Discovery Senior Living
Discovery Senior Living is a family of companies that includes Discovery Management Group, Morada Senior Living, Discovery Development Group, Discovery Design Concepts, Discovery Marketing Group, and Discovery At Home, a Medicare-certified home healthcare company. With almost three decades of experience, the award-winning management group has been developing, building, marketing, and operating upscale senior-living communities across the United States. By leveraging its innovative “Experiential Living” philosophy across a growing portfolio of almost 12,000 existing homes or homes under development, Discovery Senior Living is a recognized industry leader for lifestyle customization and, today, ranks among the 10 largest U.S. senior living operators and providers.
About Dream Flights
Dream Flights is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to honoring seniors and military veterans by providing them the experience of a lifetime. Created and founded in 2011 by Darryl and Carol Fisher and the Fisher family, the organization provides 20-minute Dream Flights in its fleet of restored Boeing Stearman open-cockpit biplanes, the same aircraft used to train many military aviators in the late-1930’s and early-40’s. Dream Flights also helps veterans tell their stories, close the generation gap, and help promote a clearer understanding of ourselves and the world. Dream Flights’ newest initiative, called Operation September Freedom (OSF), is designed to specifically honor surviving WWII veterans throughout a two-month mission to fly as many of them as possible from August 1 through September 30.
Media Inquiries:
Heidi LaVanway, Vice President of Marketing
HLaVanway@DiscoveryMGT.com | 239.301.5330