PERRY, Ga. — Perry High School's Air Force Junior ROTC team was chosen to take a trip to Normandy, France to honor D-Day.
Chief Robert Spears is proud his team was chosen, but now the challenge is raising enough money for all 28 cadets to attend.
"We've been invited to go to Normandy, France for eight days to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, to basically honor the greatest generation," Spears said.
This invitation to Normandy will allow the cadets to participate in a parade, a beach ceremony and meet and escort survivors from D-Day. The expected cost is around $80,000 for all of them to go.
"We have a few cadets that need more help than others, so any money we get in is going to make this trip successful," said Spears.
One cadet looking forward to the trip is Kristina Wilson. She didn't expect to love the Junior ROTC program at first, but her feelings have changed.
"I didn't think I would like it too much, because the uniform really wasn't me, but I absolutely love it," Wilson said. "I actually quit playing ball for this, so this is what I'm going to do after high school, go to the Air Force."
Wilson and her mother have posted numerous times on social media about the new fundraising effort: a golf cart raffle.
Each ticket is $20, and the drawing is on May 1.
Until then, they'll continue practicing their march formations for the big trip across the Atlantic.
If you'd like to donate to the trip or enter the raffle, you can contact Chief Robert Spears at (478) 733-7442.