Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan de Boisblanc.
Susan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was initially introduced to Honor Flight Houston through my affiliation with my employer at the time. I volunteered to “Welcome Home” the very first flight of Honor Flight Houston, back in 2014.
HFH is a 501(c)(3) charity formed to honor our nation’s most cherished Veterans from WWII, Korean and Vietnam Wars by taking them to Washington, D.C. to see their memorial built in their honor. The flight is an all-expense paid trip for each honored Veteran.
Before I attended the Welcome Home – I decided to take it upon myself to find Marines to attend, as well. I then proceeded to find a speaker for the Veterans – and that was all she wrote. From there, I continued to volunteer and was soon the Volunteer Coordinator and really found my passion! Since that first flight – I’m at every departure and arrival, if not accompanying a Veteran or flying as staff on one of our four trips a year. Currently, I am Co-Chairman and PR Director and I do speaking engagements and try and connect with other charities where we can assist each other in our missions and find ways to raise funds to continue our work. I think once you find something you love and have total passion for, it’s the most fulfilling feeling I’ve ever had and it doesn’t feel like work – it feels like joy. For my personal income, I work with seniors as a life and health insurance salesperson with Bankers Life – which brings me ample opportunities to meet more Veterans!!!
Has it been a smooth road?
The biggest challenge working with a charity is funding and finding enough volunteers to handle all the many details and tasks that pop up. Also, balancing work/family is a big one. I always wanted to volunteer but wasn’t ever able to find the time until my kids were grown and gone. Now, with aging parents, similar situations arise.
Please tell us about Honor Flight Houston.
Honor Flight Houston is very proud of the work we do. We show the Veterans the gratitude of our nation. We bring healing, closure, companionship and joy to so many. We had our first Vietnam Veterans trip last year – when we landed in D.C. – there was a children’s choir in the airport singing patriotic songs to them when they exited the plane, every one of these hardened combat Veterans were crying – they never had a Welcome Home – they were spit on, called awful names and hid their uniforms from the public, they couldn’t believe those children were singing to them. It was beautiful.
Many times, families will tell us their Veteran never talked about their service, until they came home from an Honor Flight.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Houston is a wonderful place for a charity. Houstonians are friendly, generous, compassionate, love their Veterans and are very proud of their City and State!!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.
honorflighthouston.org - Phone: 281-652-5072
- Email: info@
honorflighthouston.org - Instagram: https://instagram.
com/honor_flight_houston? igshid=ofjwccevk3d1 - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/events/ 2342848489292089/
Image Credit:
Tami Steiger, Scott Wilson
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