'A life changing' bus trip

Veterans and their spouses took off for Washington early Friday morning as part of the 2023 Honor Bus trip. Honor Bus trips are designed to pay respect to local veterans by taking them on a weekend getaway to see the the nation's capital. This is the second year Seneca County has hosted an Honor Bus trip , which is made possible through All-Ways Trans Plus Inc. out of Ashland. The weekend trip will consist of visiting the collection of Washington monuments, memorials and more. Fundraising was completed throughout the year by the Seneca County Honor Bus Committee, which was able to send the 44 veterans to Washington for free, with each spouse going along to pay $300. Dave Uehlein, who served in the Army from 1975-1978, said when he went on the Honor Bus trip last year he experienced many breathtaking moments. Uechlein used to live in Washington D.C. in the early 1970s, where he worked his first job within the Pentagon. "So, I've been there, but between then and now there's a whole lot of changes," he said. "We also got to go to the top of the Washington Monument, and that was not open when I was there." When Uechlein finally got to see the 9/11 Memorial, he said it was showstopping. "I got out of the bus and I just froze," he said. "It meant a lot to me for sure." Steve Leonard, who served in the Navy from 1969-1977, also attended the venture last year, and he said it was "life-changing." "It was very healing," Leonard said. "You kind of left with a little chip on your shoulder from the war, and then came back healed up pretty well." Leonard also has a son who is currently on active duty in the Navy. "Everything was a surprise to me, I teared up at everything," Leonard said of last year's trip. "Flight 93 was just unbelievable, I went to the cemetery and I had no idea there were 450,000 (graves) all in a row, and the Changing of the Guard — I didn't know that we were going to present a wreath…that was really, really cool." Leonard said he felt very honored during the trip, as there was a celebration for the veterans when they returned home, as well as a police escort both on the way there and back. He said he hopes the veterans going this year will have the opportunity to feel whole again after the trip. "There's a difference between telling someone they matter and showing them they matter," he said, noting this trip does just that. "We left as strangers and came back as friends." "The answer to your question as to what's my favorite part — I don't know yet because my trip is still going on," Leonard said, explaining the impacts from the monuments and memorials are something that will always stick with him. The Honor Bus is expected to arrive back in Tiffin around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday evening, where veterans on the trip will be celebrated upon their arrival back home. Aside from the veterans and their spouses, also attending the trip is Dottie Colbert, the Honor Bus coordinator and her assistant Jenn Pahl; two medical professionals; and four local students from Ashland University and high school who will be assisting the veterans throughout the trip. "I'm just a civilian and I was just overwhelmed (with emotion) last year," Colbert said. "It was so cool." The event was made possible from numerous local donors including Win Waste Innovations. Veterans prepare to aboard the 2023 Honor Bus early Friday morning at the Seneca County Fairgrounds. TAIAH DOUGLAS Veterans prepare to aboard the 2023 Honor Bus early Friday morning at the Seneca County Fairgrounds. TAIAH DOUGLAS