Re: Freedom Flight

Date: March 21, 2004

"Funding sought for POW program
By Kate Kompas

If you go ...

What: Freedom Flight Fund-raiser.

When: 4 p.m. Saturday. It runs until 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

Where: VFW Granite City Post 428 (across from Granite Bowl) 9-18th Ave. N.

Cost: Tickets are $10 per person.

For information: Call 253-5157. Log on to www.freedomflight.org to learn more about the organization or to check out auction items.

Jim Tuorila doesn't want anyone to forget about military members who become prisoners of war or go missing in action.

Tuorila, a psychologist at St. Cloud VA Medical Center, is once again organizing a fund-raiser for Freedom Flight, a nonprofit organization created by Tuorila in 1988. Freedom Flight sends three POW/MIA hot-air balloons to events around the nation to raise awareness of those situations.

Last year's Freedom Flight fund-raiser raised a record $18,000, Tuorila said. The event includes an auction, dinner and entertainment.

This year's guest of honor is Charles Lindberg, a Minnesota native who is the last survivor of the six Marines who raised the first U.S. flag on Iwo Jima during World War II.

The event was made famous in a photograph by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal that depicted another group of Marines raising the flag shortly after Lindberg's group did.

Tuorila acknowledged last year's record turnout was probably related to the start of the war in Iraq. The last year has changed Tuorila dramatically, he said. His son, a member of the Army, is in northern Iraq.

"I'm looking forward to providing services to these vets when they come back," he said.

©St. Cloud Times"