Proud to partner with
Pilot Mall.com!
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Challenge Air is excited to announce its partnership with PilotMall.com!
In the upcoming weeks, when visiting the PilotMall.com website, visitors the will have the opportunity to make a contribution towards the Challenge Air program through their shopping cart when checking out.
Please support www.PilotMall.com for all your aviation needs!
Thank you PilotMall.com! |
Quotes from Parents from our February 7th
Phoenix "Fly Day":
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PS: ... If you ever question if the effort is worth the emotional
drain, it is...
We interviewed 3 kids...2 said it changed their
belief system (I'm paraphrasing for them.) and are actively pursuing
change. A participant who has
Spina Bifida
told us that he'd never imagined freedom like that. In emails from his dad following the event, his dad tells me that he now understands that his limitations rest mainly in his head. He's now
focused on making things happen in his own life. All from getting up to about
3500' for 30 minutes. Not bad for a cloudy saturday in the desert.?
I was drawn to this event when I found it on
Volunteer Match. My son has Cerebral Palsy (he's an adult now) and during
his childhood I would take him to participate in as many of these types of
events as I could. Although there weren't that many, when we attended it
was so meaningful and fun for my kids and I.
I was THRILLED to be able to participate today (02/07/09) - it's one of the
ways for me to give back for what we had received all those years.
Pay it
Forward!!!!
I
just returned from attending the Challenge Air event at Deer
Valley airport in Phoenix. I went to watch my
granddaughter and some other kids I know participate in this amazing
experience.
My
husband and I wanted to let you know how impressed we were with the entire
event. At one point my
daughter-in-law, who also has a disability, said to me, "This is so great;
no one is staring!"
On
behalf of my precious granddaughter and all the other children and teens who
were there, thank you for this incredible program.
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Dear
Friends and Supporters of Challenge Air,
We
just wrapped up the first two Challenge Air events of the year: Ft. Lauderdale
and Phoenix. On January 31st, 128 children with special needs from the South
Florida area, 24 pilots and 125 plus volunteers participated in the 13th Annual Ft. Lauderdale event. Some of the supporters included: Southwest Airlines, The Downtown Rotary
Club of Ft. Lauderdale, and Banyan Air Service,
among many others. I also want to extend our sincere appreciation to our
friends Susan Clark, Jeff Shaffner
and Friends for opening their home to us. They host THE BEST Challenge Air
after party ever. It's a wonderful time to bond with many of the volunteers,
pilots, some of the families and the staff. And the chili & cornbread is
always amazing. THANK YOU!!
On
February 7, we held the first Challenge Air Event in Phoenix. In all, 86 Participants
took to the Phoenix
skies with 17 Volunteer Pilots and more than 125 Ground Crew Volunteers. MANY
thanks to the pre-planning committee!! This was an amazing team. There was high
volunteer participation from Southwest Airlines from their Phoenix
base, Cutter Aviation, Arizona Dept. of
Transportation, and pilot support from the Deer Valley
Pilots Assoc., among many others. We
received an outpour of response after the event from those who participated.
Please find a few of these published in this newsletter.
We are excited to announce that Challenge Air has just been approved for two major grants. The
Rees-Jones Foundation (Dallas) awarded us a
$25,000.00 grant and The Meyer Levy
Charitable Foundation (Austin) also approved a grant for $15,000.00: both to support our operations for 2009.
These two Foundations support many worthy causes in our communities. We are
extremely thankful to be recognized as an organization worthy of their support.
Earlier
this month we elected two new members to our Board of Directors: Mr. David
Vaughan of XJet World and Mr. Steve McCarter of Netafim USA. We
want to welcome them to our team. Additionally, I want to thank Mrs. Tohnni Jones, Mr. Carl
Neuzil, and Mr. Nicky Sheets
for their time and dedication for serving on our Board.
This e-newsletter is packed full of more updates and good news.
Thank
you, always, for your continued support and dedication to the Challenge Air
Program.
Byron Laszlo
Executive Director
PS: Join us for one of our upcoming programs in Fort Worth, Orlando or San Diego. Check our 2009 events schedule to the right.
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Challenge Air Volunteer Receives Safeway Community Hero Award
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On Friday, January 23, 2009 Tammy Vallerga, Risk Management Employee for Safeway was one of seven Safeway employees who received the prestigious Community Hero Award for her work with non-profits in the Portland area and specifically with Challenge Air. Dev Sharma, AirBp Sales Rep and long-time Challenge Air pilot and volunteer was at the luncheon to help present the award to Tammy (pictured here to the far right).
Tammy first became involved in the Challenge Air program at last year's 2nd
annual Portland fly day. "We were only two months away from the event when Tammy
called and and said she wanted to help any way she could," said Lonna Gibson, West Coast Director. "Next thing I know, she committed to donating all the breakfast for the 125 plus volunteers for the fly day and volunteered all day long, serving the volunteers and children."
Tammy
truly has a big heart and love for special needs children, committing
over 200 hours each year to the Easter Seals and other Portland
non-profits.
Because of her dedication to the Challenge Air program, the Safeway Foundation contributed $750 to be put towards the Challenge Air Portland "Fly Day."
Challenge Air is excited about our new-found friendship,
as well as our new partnership with Safeway for future fly days.
Thank
you Tammy for your service to the special needs children of the Portland area.
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Challenge Air Board Member Runs A 100-Mile Ultra Marathon to Benefit Special Needs Kids:
Donate Now! Click Here...
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Often I am asked, "Why do you run?" Depending on the asker I usually jokingly respond, "Because my Dad always told me if you are a poor fighter, it pays to be a good runner". The truth is I run, simply because I can. I am grateful for my ability to run and as a steward of my talent and ability, I must run. I must run for others who can't.
I currently sit on the Board of one of America's most unique children's nonprofit organization: Challenge Air for Kids & Friends. Because of my passion for aviation and my belief to empower children with special needs - to give them hope - I am running to raise much needed program dollars to support the Challenge Air program. I will run so the Children of Challenge Air can experience the freedom of flight!
On February 7th, 2009 I will attempt to run 100 miles in a single day to generate contributions for the special needs children that Challenge Air serves.
Our goal is to raise $50,000, which in turn would benefit many special needs children and their families. If 100 people gave $500, or sponsored 1 mile, we would meet out goal. Won't you partner with us? Any amount is appreciated.
As a Husband, Father, United States Marine, one who has served the Aviation Industry for some 20 years, Ironman (triathlete), Marathoner, Christian, and Friend this will no doubt be one of the most physical, mentally, and spiritually challenging things I have ever taken on. But I also realize that the countless hours and miles I log training for this challenge is nothing compared to the challenge that some children take on each and every day. With that in mind, I must ask "how could I not do this", and furthermore "how could you not partner with us".
Through you and your organization and/or companies' generous support, 100% of the proceeds will provide special needs children the opportunity of a life-time: to co-pilot a small airplane, which in turn builds their confidence and their self-esteem.
Thank you! Happy Trails.
Dane McGuffee
Challenge Air will be accepting donations through the month of February. To make a donation in support of Dane, click here.
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Challenge
Air for Kids and Friends is a national children's non-profit organization whose
mission is to offer motivational,inspirational and life-changing experiences to
physically challenged and seriously-ill children and youth through aviation.
We
are working diligently to raise much needed program and operational funds. If
you would like to make a one-time gift or set up a monthly contribution
schedule at this time, you may do so at www.challengeair.org or simply call 877/FLY-KIDS. Donations may be
mailed to:
Challenge
Air
8008 Cedar Springs Rd., LB-24
Dallas, TX
75235
www.challengeair.org 1-877-FLY-KIDS
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