Operation Honor Guard Day of Giving Wednesday

Consolidated Communications will host an Operation Honor Guard Day of Giving collection points in Mattoon and Charleston on Wednesday, Oct. 2.

Drive-through collection sites will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the company’s corporate office, 121 S. 17th Street, Mattoon, and at Family Video, 909 Lincoln Avenue, Charleston. Local veterans and Consolidated Communications employees will be managing the donation sites.

The public is invited to make monetary donations to the veteran Honor Guard volunteers from Mattoon, Charleston, Ashmore, Kansas Paris, Arcola, Neoga, Windsor and Sigel who will be gathered at the collection points throughout the day.

“Our employees are excited to host local, honor guard members and support Operation Honor Guard for the third year on October 2,” said Michael Smith, chief revenue officer at Consolidated Communications. “I’m proud to say our employees saw a need and offered to host a second collection site at Family Video in Charleston, adding to our support of the Operation Honor Guard fundraising effort.

Donations from the day of giving collection sites will be distributed to local, honor guards to help purchase much needed uniforms. On average, there are seven to eight Honor Guard members at each military funeral and it costs more than $800 to outfit each honor guard member. Operation Honor Guard provides charitable assistance to conduct military funerals for veterans and service members.

“I am absolutely amazed at the outpouring of support and generosity central Illinois has shown our honor guards,” said Rich Darby, founder of Operation Honor Guard. “Raising just over $135,000 last year was so impactful to local honor guards. This year we’ve set our goal at $145,000 in hopes of helping more organizations. We are so very pleased to have Consolidated Communications onboard for the third year as a corporate sponsor with their collection site in Mattoon plus the new site in Charleston. This truly shows me their commitment to the veterans of this nation.”

The parking lot behind the Consolidated Communications corporate office building will be blocked off on Oct. 2 for the donation drive. Donors are asked to pull in from Charleston Avenue and will be directed to exit the lot from the alley on to South 17th Street after making their donation. In Charleston, donors are asked to enter the Family Video parking lot from Lincoln Avenue and exit on 9th Street. Employees and veterans will be on site at both locations accepting contributions and managing traffic.