The International Order of the Rainbow Girls is offering people a chance to honor servicemen and women and help veterans at the same time.

For $1, the name of a serviceman, past or present, will be put on a paper airplane and displayed at the Ohio Grand Assembly this summer at Kenyon College.

The money collected will be used to support the Honor Flight program, which flies veterans to Washington, D.C., to see their memorials, free of charge to the veterans.

One flight of 40 veterans costs $10,000, and that is the goal of the Rainbow Girls.

“Anybody who makes a donation of $1, you can give us a name and any information you want to give us – branch of military served in, rank at the time, war,” said Lois Terkhorn, Lawrence County Assembly 187 advisory board member.

Checks can be made out to the Ohio Grand Assembly ORFG, and mailed to Terkhorn at 1747 Kevin St., Ironton, OH, 45638.

While they don’t have a goal locally, they are wanting to do as much as they can.

“It turned out bigger than what we expected,” Terkhorn said. “We’re all the time getting people you probably wouldn’t think to ask. The girls are sponsoring some veterans themselves.

“If you think about your families, neighbors, people from church, and people who have passed away, active military, there are lots of names you would want to recognize.”

If the total amount is raised, the flight will be named after the Ohio Rainbow Girls. The deadline is April 15.

The Rainbow Girls is connected with the Masons and is a group of girls between 11 and 20 years of age. Terkhorn said they do service projects, have meetings and do activities together.

“We have a really small group right now, but they are interested and active,” she said.

“It’s a good organization for girls,” she added. “Along with their meetings, they have certain ritual work and things they do. It helps them learn to speak in front of people, and learn teachings from the Bible. It’s not any certain religion.”

In addition to the statewide project of the Honor Flight, the Rainbow Girls washed cars and had a bake sale for Haiti and participated in Relay for Life in Barboursville, W.Va., last year.

For more information on becoming involved with the Rainbow Girls, contact Verbie Brock at (740) 894-3466