FUN EVENT SUPPORTS AN IMPORTANT MISSION Southeast Florida Honor Flight’s Buck Off Challenge Returns To Wellington March 18 BY Y.A. TEITELBAUM
Vietnam War veteran Jim Boldon is grateful for his memorable trip aboard a Southeast Florida Honor Flight in 2019. The 73-year-old Boldon reminisced how he had not received any thanks after returning home from the war until his Honor Flight, a one-day trip from Palm Beach International Airport to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials built to honor war veterans’ service and sacrifices. “It was a brutal war, and not to have any recognition [upon returning home] was not fair,” said Boldon, an U.S. Air Force veteran who has lived in Wellington since 1985.“People weren’t kind to us.” The reaction was the complete opposite when Boldon and about 80 other veterans returned from their Honor Flight.“Our family was at the airport to welcome us home, people were waving flags and cheering,” Boldon said. “It brings tears to your eyes.After being forgotten for almost 40 years, it was absolutely awesome.” Southeast Florida Honor Flight is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that flies World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans four times a year free of charge to the veteran. Each flight costs about $120,000, according to chairman Janet Hoose. Numerous fundraisers are held throughout the year, highlighted by the
(Left to Right) Event organizer Bobbi Rottman, veterans Frank Malec and Jim Boldon, and Janet Hoose of Southeast Florida Honor Flight at the Wellington Veterans Memorial. PHOTO BY ABNER PEDRAZA
popular AmberWay Equine Buck Off Challenge, a family-friendly mechanical bull-riding competition scheduled for Friday, March 18 at 6 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center.The event is cosponsored by the Village of Wellington. “The veterans are treated like rock stars on their Honor Flight,” Hoose said. “I’m honored and privileged to help honor these heroes.The Buck Off Challenge is a fun way to raise money to help our veterans.” The AmberWay Equine Buck Off Challenge is a fundraising event started by Wellington’s Bobbi Rottman of Eques
Solutions, which primarily specializes in bringing the equestrian community and businesses together. Rottman and her team started this event almost 10 years ago, and for the last four years, Southeast Florida Honor Flight has been the beneficiary. They spend wellington the magazine | february 2022 19