GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A 16-year-old Kalamazoo girl is helping to fund the Mid-Michigan Honor Flight this spring after the event was put on hold for more than two years, 9 & 10 News reports.

In 2019, Alicia Kraaz became the youngest leader of the Mid-Michigan Honor Flight when she raised $130,000 for the Yellow Ribbon Flight.

“Regardless of if you have somebody close to you who’s a veteran, it’s really important to recognize these people who have supported us and our country through all these hard times,” Kraatz told 9 & 10 News, adding that she wanted to help honor Vietnam War veterans who often were not welcomed warmly when they returned from the unpopular conflict.

Eighty Vietnam War veterans will be on the flight.

Kraatz said she is working to spread a message of healing and love to the veterans because “to my generation, they’re all heroes.”

The next Mid-Michigan Honor Flights are in June and October. & 10 News reports that the June flight will carry 12 terminally ill veterans and 23 World War II veterans.

For more information on the Mid-Michigan Honor Flight, click here.