Alliant Energy: Fond du Lac Employees Support Old Glory Honor Flight

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Scott Reigstad
(608) 458-3145
(608) 458-3145

Group transports northeast Wisconsin WWII Vets to Washington DC memorials

FOND DU LAC, WI – December 23, 2009 – Every year employees at Alliant Energy’s Fond du Lac Operations Center find a deserving non-profit group for their Christmas Giving Project and make contributions to bolster its efforts. While all the charitable causes chosen in the past by the employees are worthwhile, this year’s choice is certainly both worthwhile and unique.

The organization picked by the Alliant Energy employees for its December giving initiative this year is called Old Glory Honor Flight of Northeast Wisconsin, a volunteer group devoted to transporting local World War II veterans toWashington, D.C.to visit memorials dedicated to honor their service and sacrifices. The goal was to raise $500 for the group.

“We heard about the first Old Glory Honor Flight that went to D.C. in October of this year and thought it was just a wonderful thing to do for area World War II veterans,” said Dawn Nett, Fond du LacOperationsCenter Office Administrator. “The employees quickly agreed that we should create an employee giving team to support the next flight scheduled for this coming spring.”

Alliant Energy Fond du Lac area employees exceeded their $500 goal and ultimately raised $825 for Old Glory Honor Flight. In addition, through a Team Matching Gifts Program offered by the Alliant Energy Foundation to Alliant Energy employees, their contribution was matched on a one-for-one basis. So, the employees’ and the Foundation’s total financial support given to this spring’s Old Glory Honor Flight will be $1650.

“We were excited to have pulled together the dollars we did to contribute to Old Glory Honor Flight,” add Nett. “We all look forward to learning more about the veterans that will participate in this spring’s flight and their stories.”

The Old Glory Honor Flight of Northeast Wisconsin was formed in mid-2009 as part of a national goal to bring 25,000 World War II veterans toWashingtonD.C.to see the World War II memorial. The initial flight this past fall departed from OutagamieRegionalAirport in Appleton and was supported by many businesses and volunteers throughout the FoxValley region. In addition to their time, volunteers paid $500 each to make the trip to assist and escort the veterans during their journey.

On October 27 of this year, Old Glory Honor Flight conducted its inaugural trip toWashingtonD.C. that included 95 northeastern Wisconsin World War II veterans. The veterans, who ranged in age from 83 to 94 years old, also visited the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Wall, and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at ArlingtonNationalCemetery. For many, it was likely the only chance they would ever have to view the World War II memorial that was built to honor their service. The memorial, located on the National Mall between the WashingtonMonument and Lincoln Memorial, was dedicated on April 29, 2004to honor the 16 million members of the U.S. armed forces as well as the 400,000 soldiers who died in World War II.

“We appreciate the contribution from Alliant Energy employees and its Foundation, as well as the many, many other organizations and individuals that support us,” said Jon LiDonne, Waupaca County veterans service officer and founder of Old Glory Honor Flight. “We simply could not do these trips without all the generous contributions of dollars and time, and it’s the least we can do to thank those that risked their lives for us so long ago.”

For more information on Old Glory Honor Flight and how to support the organization, readers can visit www.oldgloryhonorflight.org or call 1-888-635-9838 1-888-635-9838.

Alliant Energy is an energy-services provider with subsidiaries serving approximately 1 million electric and over 400,000 natural gas customers. Providing its customers in the Midwest with regulated electric and natural gas service is the company’s primary focus. Alliant Energy, headquartered in Madison, Wis., is a Fortune 1000 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LNT. For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.alliantenergy.com.

The Alliant Energy Foundation is a philanthropic organization created by Alliant Energy Corp. and is operated as a separate entity led by its own board of directors. The Foundation is committed to making a positive difference in the communities where Alliant Energy employees, retirees and customers live and work. The Foundation, which is funded solely by the Alliant Energy shareowners, seeks to further the corporation’s goal of being a good corporate citizen and contributing member of society. For more information, visit the Foundation’s web site at www.alliantenergy.com/foundation.