Windstone's veterans tribute concert raises more than $1,000 for Central Missouri Honor Flight

<p>(Photo by Samantha Pogue/News Tribune) Charles Stone, owner of Windstone Entertainment Event Center, center right, hands a check for $1,040, to Hal Dulle, Central Missouri Honor Flight guardian and representative, center left, after many Windstone regulars (pictured) and others helped raise that donation through a veterans tribute concert featuring country music artist David Ball Nov. 17 at the venue. Stone hopes to hold a fundraising concert each year that supports veterans.</p>

(Photo by Samantha Pogue/News Tribune) Charles Stone, owner of Windstone Entertainment Event Center, center right, hands a check for $1,040, to Hal Dulle, Central Missouri Honor Flight guardian and representative, center left, after many Windstone regulars (pictured) and others helped raise that donation through a veterans tribute concert featuring country music artist David Ball Nov. 17 at the venue. Stone hopes to hold a fundraising concert each year that supports veterans.

Veteran Stanley Nuener shared a full day with a "very agile" 102-year-old World War II veteran and saw a personally significant memorial through fresh eyes.

These are just some of the memorable moments he recalled during his visit to war memorials in Washington, D.C., alongside more than 100 wartime area veterans with Central Missouri Honor Flight.

"We visited all the memorials but what really got me was when you go to the airport up there and all the people visiting you and thanking you for your service. It was 30 hours long. I stayed awake the whole time except about 15-20 minutes on the airplane," said Nuener, who was one of the first Jefferson City area Korean War veterans to take the Honor Flight through the Central Missouri hub. "Everybody that served should experience it because that is what you went into the service for."

Nuener backed his own words by helping Windstone Entertainment Event Center raise money for Central Missouri Honor Flight. He, along with more than 200 others, attended a veterans tribute concert starring Grammy Award-winning country music artist David Ball on Nov. 17, and with a portion of proceeds slated to benefit Central Missouri Honor Flight. Windstone Owner Charles Stone had a goal of $1,000 and was able to raise $1,040, which he gave to Central Missouri Honor Flight representative Hal Dulle on Dec. 6 with many of the concert's attendees present.

"Mr. Ball put on a great show and we had great success with the concert," said Stone, who served 22 years in the U.S. Army. "We were so excited to exceed the $1,000 goal we had set. We would like to do this each year, getting another artist that supports veterans like Ball to perform with proceeds supporting veterans."

Ball not only has his chart-topping singles such as the military-inspired "Riding With Private Malone" but continually supports active and veteran soldiers' efforts through benefit concerts and charitable acts. His longtime advocacy for U.S. military and veterans is appreciated, and in 2016, he was honored with the Chris Kyle Patriot Award from Operation Troop Aid, an organization that assembled care packages to send to soldiers overseas. Ball's biggest reward for his continued support is meeting so many great servicemen and women.

"They are great people, and they love their country and they love country music, which is wonderful. We have a lot in common," Ball previously told the News Tribune. "Anything I can do for current and active duty troops and veterans, I will do it."

Many Mid-Missourians feel the same way as Ball, Stone and Nuener. So does Hal Dulle, a U.S. Marine, Vietnam veteran and now guardian for Central Missouri Honor Flight. Dulle had long since been a part of the Patriot Guard, serving as part of the motorcycle escort of veterans from Kingdom City to Columbia during each Honor Flight, as well as other veteran services and events as needed. After retiring as director of the Missouri Veterans Commission, Dulle was able to get more involved and became a guardian to one of the 110 Missouri veterans who tour the war memorials in Washington, D.C., at no cost to them.

"I have been out 31 times as a guardian and prior to that I rode motorcycles as part of that team. We just held flight 56 in the first week in November and with that flight, we have sent more than 4,000 veterans since we started," he said, noting the Central Missouri Honor Flight started in 2009. "We have 300-500 veterans on a waiting list right now, and most are Vietnam veterans."

Dulle said they still took a few World War II veterans last year, but are now taking more Korean War veterans and one of the few Honor Flight hubs that send Vietnam veterans.

"We were a little apprehensive about three years ago because we didn't know how the public would react to that," he said. "But as a matter of fact, the support has increased after we have invited Vietnam veterans to go on the Honor Flight."

Outside boarding the charter flight and attending all war memorials in Washington, D.C., the veterans also take a bus tour of other U.S. capital sites, enjoy meals, other surprises that honor each veteran, and the camaraderie they can provide one another during this experience that commemorates their service to the country.

"It has really opened up the door for many of these veterans to talk to each other. Many veterans who served a few years and were in the war zone don't talk about it. They come back and don't say a lot. My father was a World War II veteran and he didn't have a lot to say. Later on in his life and when I was an adult is when he shared some of the things that happened during his service," he said. "One of the biggest things about the Honor Flight is getting these veterans together and having them talk amongst themselves. There are a handful of us guardians that are also veterans. I never realized that, being a guardian, I would be among fellow Vietnam veterans, and that has been a great experience for us all."

More than 1,000 volunteers, guardians, physicians, photographers, staff and more help make each Central Missouri Honor Flight trip a memorable one for the veterans ready to attend. The donations and money raised throughout the year make sure every part of this event is free to the veterans and their families.

"We give our hats off to people like Charles, the grad-schoolers, the high-schoolers, the hot rod groups, the tractor pulls, the country fairs. Somewhere there is somebody raising money for us. That is half the battle," Dulle said.

For more information about Central Missouri Honor Flight, visit centralmissourihonorflight.com. For more information about Windstone Entertainment Event Center, visit windstoneentertainment.com.