Seven Tabitha (tabitha.org) seniors flew over Memorial Stadium, the Nebraska State Capitol, and north Lincoln on August 29 as part of Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation’s Dream Flights program, sponsored by Sports Clips.
The veterans rode in a 1940 blue Boeing Stearman biplane—its tail decorated with scores of signatures from past passengers—that was originally used by the U.S. Army.
Dick Chapin, a 99-year-old Tabitha resident who served three years in the U.S. Air Force as a lieutenant bombardier, was one of the seniors experiencing the once-in-a-lifetime ride.
Following his flight, Dick Chapin added his signature to the plane’s tail while wiping tears and sporting a new Dream Flights hat signed by his pilot, Scott “Scooter” Delong of Geneva, Nebraska.
Other Dream Flights passengers included 90-year-old Jerry Northrop, 94-year-old Jim Bell, 94-year-old Dewey Foster, 80-year-old Fred Mausolf, 78-year-old Melvin Young and 77-year-old Rodney Helberg. Another Tabitha senior, 97-year-old Art Nelson, came along poised to fly, but instead opted to watch.
Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation was founded in 2011 by Darryl and Carol Fisher to recognize the sacrifices and achievements made by senior veterans. To learn more about this organization, visit dreamflights.org.
Supporting families since 1886 across Nebraska, Tabitha offers a range of services, from results-driven rehabilitation, accessible at-home home health care, innovative living communities, resourceful serious illness support, and compassionate hospice services. Learn more at tabitha.org.