Warhawk Air Museum volunteers receive Spirit of Idaho Award

Senator Mike Crapo was on hand Wednesday morning to hand out the Spirit of Idaho Award to the volunteers at Nampa's Warhawk Air Museum

• Warhawk Air Museum co-founder, Sue Paul, nominated the group last year.
• "It kind of stumped us for a minute because our award was for an individual but we decided that this award needed to be made and so we adjusted our system..." Sen. Crapo said.
• Most of the museum's volunteers are veterans themselves. Dedicating their volunteer opportunities to remember, reflect, and teach the next generation.

(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)

"It is an honor to be able to give this award to you wonderful people," Senator Mike Crapo began Wednesday morning at the Warhawk Air Museum.

Volunteers at Nampa's Warhawk Air Museum gathered for something special, with a visit from Senator Crapo. For over 20 years the senator has recognized Idaho veterans and the volunteers who assist them with the Spirit of Freedom and Spirit of Idaho Awards. Last year, the museum nominated their entire volunteer force for the recognition.

"We had the senator's office reach out to us and say 'although we can't nominate a group for the award we would like to honor the Warhawk Air Museum volunteers with the Spirit of Idaho Award,'" the Warhawk Air Museum's Executive Director Carson Spear recounted.

I asked Senator Crapo, "What was your and your office's reaction when this group was nominated?"

"It kind of stumped us for a minute because our award was for an individual but we decided that this award needed to be made and so we adjusted our system, made it so this award can be given to a group," Sen. Crapo explained.

Jo Trefethen is one of the nearly 80 volunteers nominated. She's been helping for three years and while not a veteran herself, she comes from a family full of military experience.

"My first trip here was to one of the air shows. I loved the air show and I love how this museum honors the veterans and really makes us realize how important they are. We could thank them every single day and it would never be enough," Trefethen says.

Most of the museum's volunteers are veterans themselves. Dedicating their volunteer opportunities to remember, reflect, and teach the next generation.

U.S. Navy vet and Warhawk volunteer says, "The answer is people. It's a great team, we've got a can-do attitude. People pitch in and we get a lot of things done together. I got involved with the Veterans History Project interviews for the Library of Congress and that's a lot of fun for me."