CM students help WWII vet Rychlicki take honor flight

   "You are about to embark upon the great crusade toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you … I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle." General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s D-Day speech, June 4, 1944, engraved at the WWII memorial in Washington, D.C.

   Abigail Formella, Jordan Wyble and Cameron Houser, all seniors at Caledonia-Mumford High School, want to help WWII veteran Stanley Rychlicki, complete the flight of his life, the honor flight to the WWII memorial in Washington, D.C. The students are hosting a badminton tournament at school on May 30 from 11 to 2 p.m. with all of the proceeds going to Honor Flight Rochester, Inc. to sponsor Rychlicki’s trip, which may come as early as this summer.

   "We wanted to do something for someone who has given so much to the community," Formella said.

   Living up to Eisenhower’s D-Day quote, the eyes of Livingston County have been on the 90-year old Rychlicki whose accomplishments are in the Guiness World Record Book. He continues to represent his patriotism at local military observances wearing his original Army dress uniform and is a very active member of his hometown community of Caledonia.

   He served in the United States Army during the WWII with tours that took him to Australia, Japan, and the Philippine Islands. After the service, Rychlicki took a job as a pipeline inspector with Atlantic Pipeline Corporation where he clocked a total of 136,887.02 miles of walking over his 37-year career, earning him the distinction of being the man who has walked the most miles in his job.

   The event will be held behind the high school, Hinsdale Drive, and indoors in the case of bad weather. The cost is $10 for a team of two to play badminton and admission for spectators is $1. Donations in any amount will be accepted from now until the day of the event. If you are interested in playing badminton or would like to make a donation, please call Abbey Formella at 538-4594 or Sally Santora at 538-3449. Donations may also be mailed to Honor Flight Rochester, Inc., PO Box 23581, Rochester, NY. 14692 and write for Stanley Rychlicki on the envelope.

   Honor Flight Rochester, Inc., is a not for profit organization and one of 75 hubs in the Honor Flight network. The organization pays for cost of the flight and one night’s hotel stay for the veteran. Hope says the evening banquet and stay at a Washington, D.C. hotel really helps the veterans express and process the emotionally charged and moving experience of viewing the WWII memorial.

   Vincent W. Hope, president of Honor Flight Rochester, started the organization after taking his own father on a trip to Washington, D.C. to view the WWII memorial, and seeing what it meant to him. The inaugural honor flight left Rochester International Airport in October 2008.