MARION — State Rep. Ralph Howard, who represents Perry County and the surrounding Black Belt region presented Col. David Mollahan, president of Marion Military Institute, with a check for $10,000 at a brief ceremony at Vaiden Field Airport last Wednesday.

The funds constitute the legislator’s discretionary support for two entities important to Perry County and the Black Belt.

Of the money donated, $3,000 was dedicated to the Alabama Military Hall of Honor.

The Hall of Honor, located on the MMI campus, is a state institution that honors Alabama military men and women who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary service and heroism as members of the United States Armed Forces. The funds will be used to continue the effort to identify worthy recipients, procure the designated bronze plaques and support the Hall’s military history museum.

The remaining $7,000 was dedicated to the support of the MMI Flying Tigers flight training program.

The flight training program is a joint venture between Marion Military Institute, Perry County Airport and Industrial Authority and Sanders Flight Training Center and constitutes the first commercial aeronautical activity at Vaiden Field Airport.

The funds will be utilized to furnish and equip the newly constructed airport lounge and training facility.

Last year the fledgling flight program succeeded in certifying four MMI cadets as private pilots and achieved first solo flights for four others.

All of the cadets participating anticipate flying careers in the military, and most went on to one of the US military academies. This year’s flight training program promises to be significantly larger with thirteen cadets already enrolled before school registration.

In addition to the recruiting value to MMI, the flight training program is important to Vaiden Field Airport as its largest customer for aviation fuel sales and it significantly increases the flight operations rate, which is used to justify state and federal grants for infrastructure improvements.