For the free passes, veterans can stop at the Elks Pro Shop between
8 a.m. and 7 p.m. any day of the week, at the Lincoln American
Legion between 1 and 9 p.m. any day, and at the chamber of commerce
office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Only 150 ride and
admission passes are available, so they will be distributed only as
long as they last.
The 2012 festival was the first year of the partnership between
the chamber and the Elks to offer free balloon rides for veterans in
Logan County. George Lacefield, chairman of the Elks Veterans
Committee, along with Andi Hake, executive director of the chamber
of commerce, both wanted to continue this partnership to honor our
veterans.
"We are providing additional locations for veterans to pick up
the passes in hopes that this year we have more people take
advantage of this wonderful opportunity," said Hake. The Elks
committee is donating all the tethered balloon rides, and the
chamber board of directors is donating the admission passes to the
festival, so veterans can have a great weekend of fun virtually
free.
"As a veteran myself, I truly value what these men and women have
done for our country and feel this is just a small way to show our
local veterans how much we appreciate their service and sacrifice,"
said Lacefield about why he wants to offer the free rides.
The passes are available to any veteran in Logan County who has
served in any branch of our armed services.
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Each veteran who comes to one of the designated locations will
receive one free weekend admission pass to the Lincoln Art & Balloon
Festival on Aug. 23-25. The admission pass will get one veteran a
wristband that will allow access to the activities at the Logan
County Airport both Friday and Saturday. Veterans will also receive
one free tethered balloon ride pass good for one veteran to ride in
a main attraction of the weekend -- a hot air balloon. This year
there will be two tethered balloons, one being sponsored by local
State Farm agents and the other by the chamber of commerce.
Details on times of rides and a schedule of activities during the
weekend are available with the Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival's new
mobile app, so download it today, or go to
www.lincolnillinois.com.
Contact Andi Hake or Meghan Hough at the chamber of commerce at
217-735-2385 if technology is not your thing.
[Text from file received from
the Lincoln/Logan County
Chamber of Commerce]
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