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Steve Rapp of Nunda was given special recognition Nov. 9 for his leadership and volunteerism with Honor Flight Rochester.
He was given a Legacy, or “Leggy” award for volunteer of the year through Rochester-based Legacy Senior Living.
The Leggy award is given each year to one or more people in the greater Rochester region who have contributed to the well being of senior citizens.
Rochester is a local hub for Honor Flight, a national program that gives war veterans free flights to Washington, D.C. so they can have a chance to view their memorials. Honor Flight focuses its efforts on reaching out to aging World War II veterans, some 900 of whom die every day.
Rapp’s service with Honor Flight began in May 2009 when he was a guardian (chaperone) for longtime friend and World War II veteran John Osjca of Nunda.
“He was a top notch guy. He was a medic in France, he saw the worst of the worst.”
Osjca didn’t want to go at first, Rapp recalled. The former medic was fearful of the painful memories that might arise if he were to go. But Rapp took Osjca to the airport to watch the veterans return from the inaugural flight in October 2008, and that helped change his mind.
Rapp said that soon after he and Osjca returned from their May 2009 flight, Osjca replied to an inquiry from some local Nunda ambulance crewmembers on Memorial Day that it was, “‘the best two days of my life.’ So that’s when you kind of know, man, I’m into this now; I’m really going to stick with this,” Rapp said.
When Osjca passed away nearly a year later on Easter Sunday 2010, Rapp was bestowed with Osjca’s Purple Heart and the flag that was draped on his coffin.
“He didn’t have much for family,” Rapp said of receiving Osjca’s service mementos.
In addition to being a guardian for Osjca, he has also been a guardian for Fay Ace (who has since passed) and Brewster DePuy. Rapp has been on a total of six flights so far.
He has additionally volunteered as a trip leader twice and assistant trip leader once. He said he was approached by the Rochester hub leaders to volunteer for these roles based on them having perceived natural leadership skills within him.
When asked about his experiences as a whole, Rapp said it has been, “extremely remarkable. Every trip is unique unto itself, and is something that never gets old.”
Steve Rapp of Nunda was given special recognition Nov. 9 for his leadership and volunteerism with Honor Flight Rochester.
He was given a Legacy, or “Leggy” award for volunteer of the year through Rochester-based Legacy Senior Living.
The Leggy award is given each year to one or more people in the greater Rochester region who have contributed to the well being of senior citizens.
Rochester is a local hub for Honor Flight, a national program that gives war veterans free flights to Washington, D.C. so they can have a chance to view their memorials. Honor Flight focuses its efforts on reaching out to aging World War II veterans, some 900 of whom die every day.
Rapp’s service with Honor Flight began in May 2009 when he was a guardian (chaperone) for longtime friend and World War II veteran John Osjca of Nunda.
“He was a top notch guy. He was a medic in France, he saw the worst of the worst.”
Osjca didn’t want to go at first, Rapp recalled. The former medic was fearful of the painful memories that might arise if he were to go. But Rapp took Osjca to the airport to watch the veterans return from the inaugural flight in October 2008, and that helped change his mind.
Rapp said that soon after he and Osjca returned from their May 2009 flight, Osjca replied to an inquiry from some local Nunda ambulance crewmembers on Memorial Day that it was, “‘the best two days of my life.’ So that’s when you kind of know, man, I’m into this now; I’m really going to stick with this,” Rapp said.
When Osjca passed away nearly a year later on Easter Sunday 2010, Rapp was bestowed with Osjca’s Purple Heart and the flag that was draped on his coffin.
“He didn’t have much for family,” Rapp said of receiving Osjca’s service mementos.
In addition to being a guardian for Osjca, he has also been a guardian for Fay Ace (who has since passed) and Brewster DePuy. Rapp has been on a total of six flights so far.
He has additionally volunteered as a trip leader twice and assistant trip leader once. He said he was approached by the Rochester hub leaders to volunteer for these roles based on them having perceived natural leadership skills within him.
When asked about his experiences as a whole, Rapp said it has been, “extremely remarkable. Every trip is unique unto itself, and is something that never gets old.”
Rapp said the most memorable experiences have been listening to the veterans tell their stories.
“On these trips, they pull us into their circle and they talk to us and they tell us all kinds of stuff that if you didn’t know any better, you would think we were one of them.”
He said another moment that struck him was being at the Iwo Jima memorial with a Navy veteran who was present to witness the famous raising of the flag.
They happened to come across a young Marine who was having a christening ceremony at the memorial, and the Marine later listened intently to the veteran’s story.
“That’s something he’ll carry with him the rest of his life and through his career, that he was actually there with a guy who had actually been at Iwo Jima.”
Rapp also said the homecomings at the Rochester International Airport are also what makes the trips worthwhile.
“Here’s 500 people standing outside the security area...and we come through in single file and a lot of these guys are just in tears because this is the homecoming they never had.”
Homecomings last between one-and-a-half to two hours, Rapp said. Many people who happen to be at the airport greet and applaud the returning heroes. Local dignitaries and a retired general are usually there to meet veterans and give speeches, a military band is there to play, plus fundraising checks are sometimes presented.
“I’m very proud of the fact of what I’ve been involved in and proud of the fact that I’ve been involved in a wonderful and dynamic organization, but in terms of me personally, it’s an accolade that I don’t think I really need.”
He said that what he does is his way of paying back the sacrifices the veterans have made for him and his country, and to “pay it forward” to the next generation.
The award was bestowed upon Rapp during Rochester Honor Flight’s annual reunion dinner at Nazareth College. About 1,100 people attended.
The dinner was sponsored by Legacy Senior Living Community.
“I was quite surprized by it,” he said, adding he had no idea he was to be given the award until his name was called, and that he didn’t even know such an award existed.
In addition to being a guardian and trip leader, Rapp also speaks about Honor Flight to veteran’s and other organizations.
Also awarded that evening was Glen and Ramona Anderson who were flown to Rochester as guests for the reunion evening. They spear-head an entire volunteer organization at the Baltimore-Washington International Aairport, where the Honor Flights land. They coordinate the surprise reception of a lifetime that greets every veteran who flies from anywhere in the country on an Honor Flight into BWI.
