LENA, ILLINOIS — When Terry Yount and Terry Cowan were having a conversation about the unfortunate fate of the VietNam era F-4 Phantom fighter jets and decided to start the F4 Phantom Jet Memorial Project in Lena, they had no idea the positive response they’d receive from the public. They certainly couldn’t have predicted the good deeds of Alec Schliehting of Lena.
The Northwest Illinois Aerial Combat Memorial is an effort to save one of the remaining F4 Phantom jets from being destroyed, restore it, and make it a memorial in downtown Lena. When young Alec Schliehting heard of the project, he got busy fundraising.
Alec is a 12 year old from Lena who took it upon himself to raise $100 for the F4 Phantom Jet Memorial project in Lena by selling candy to kids at school. He recently received the American Legion Auxiliary Good Deed Award for his fundraising efforts.
But that wasn’t enough for Alec.
He wanted to raise more money for the project. So over the summer Alec has been doing a Lemon Shakeup stand called “Alec’s Phantom Shakeups”.
His new goal is to raise $1,000.
This Saturday Alec will be at Sullivan’s in Lena for a cookout from 11-1. Also manning the grill will be members of the Northwest Illinois F4 Jet Project committee. Alec will be along side them selling Lemon shakeups.
While the F4 Phantom jet was donated by the U.S government and the land for the park donated, the costs for moving the jet from New Mexico, restoring the airplane and placing it on a pedestal in downtown Lena are enormous.
Thanks to the efforts of 12 year old Alec Schliehting and many others, the Northwest Illinois Aerial Combat Memorial will become a reality.
You can help by stopping by Sullivan’s on Saturday. If you’d like more information about the project, visit their Facebook page here.