News from Mercy Flight Southeast

Coordinating FREE private air transportation for children and adults
with medical or compelling humanitarian needs

Weekly Update / September 9, 2011

Quick Links

Cutoff deadline to vote: Midnight Sept. 16th!

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Adopt & follow a flight

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The P-51 Mustang raffle is closed!

Drawing will be at the AOPA convention Hartford, CT September 22-24

Upcoming Events

Sept 24 Florida Tech's Aviation Day

Melbourne

Oct 8 -Sebastian Airport Latin Festival

October 9 - Poker Bike Run, Palm Coast

October 15-17 - Board Meeting/Fly-out to Bahamas

November 4 - Golf Tournament, Leesburg, FL

November 12-13 - Stuart Air Show Stuart, FL

November 19th

Sanford Airport, (KSFB)

Texas Hold'm Tourney

Quilt made by The Mulberry Quilters

Quilts for our passengers

We've received a number of quilts from the Mulberry Quilters in The Villages, Florida to give to our passengers. We will be distributing these quilts to FBO's at different airports throughout our region.

Tampa Executive Airport (VDF) has quilts as of last week. If you're headed to Leesburg, Fl or Tampa Executive, please pick some up!

Last Call for Bahamas nominations!

We are looking to recognize and reward one very special volunteer who has gone above-and-beyond to help our organization over the past year. The board of directors will be judging based on:

Selfless commitment level
Upholding Mercy Flight Southeast's core values
Reliability

Yes, you may nominate yourself, or someone else who you believe should be considered for this recognition. Please remember, we appreciate everyone's commitment to our fantastic mission, even if you're not picked this year.

Submit your nominations to CEO@mercymail.org by September 15 for consideration.

You must tell us why, with a minimum of 75 words. Winner will be chosen on September 22.

Bahamas Fly-in & fundraiser-
Join the 25+ people who've signed up so far!

Bahamas Special Mercy Flight rates

Oct 14th & 15th Freeport Grand Bahama Radisson Lucaya $105 p/night!

October 15th am Mercy Flight Board Meeting

October 15th pm Steak, lobster & show dinner cruise on the "Bahama Mama" fundraiser $99 p/person

October 16th & 17th Treasure Cay Resort, Marsh Harbor, Abaco Bahamas $76 p/night!

Discounted rooms are running out! Register HERE now!

Or call (800) 352-4256 for more info

Lt. Dan Band Concert & 4-day event: Beaufort, SC

Mercy Flight will be joining the Gary Sinise Foundation for a 4 day event and concert in Beaufort, South Carolina Sept. 14-18. Special thanks to Ernest Burdette and his wife, who will be flying a family of five including a Purple Heart recipient all the way from Houston. Mercy Flight Southeast will be bringing "Merlin", our 40-foot airplane float. The band will be to showing a 2 minute Mercy Flight Southeast video played during the concert. This will surely be a great weekend had by all that attend. Stop by our booth and say hello! Further information is below or on their website www.ltdanband.com.

On September 16th, 2011, The Independence Fund will once again host Gary Sinise as he leads his Lt. Dan Band in a concert honoring our severely injured veterans. In addition, the weekends festivities will include a family 5K run/walk through historic downtown Beaufort, a fully supported bicycle ride for the veterans, and Conflict Zone, a Photographic Exhibit featuring the dramatic works of some of the top photojournalists from Getty, the Washington Post and the New York Times.

Generous Donation

I wanted to share with you that we just received a very generous donation from the Howell Family Foundation. You may recognize the name from somewhere... Andrew Howell is one of our Board Members. A very sincere thanks to your family for making this donation. I spoke with Steven Howell, who was distressed as I to learn that we have been requiring a minimum two weeks for a new mission to be coordinated. Part of these funds will go towards helping our operations to reduce this time constraint for patients so we can accept more missions for people, when they need our help the most.

Again, thanks to the Howell Family Foundation.

Steve

SEPTEMBER 16th DEADLINE

We know you've voted...Now forward this link to everyone you know and we will win! Hint: Copy and paste on your Facebook page.

http://www.lightspeedaviationfoundation.org/content.cfm/Finalists/Your-Vote-Counts

Banyan Air Service extends its help to Mercy Flight Southeast

With the help from our friends at Banyan we are able to better spread the word about or mission. Thank You Banyan Airservice for the free office space located next to the Jet Runway Cafe. Our address there is:

Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE)

5540 NW 21st Terrace

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309

Stop by to look around and get acquainted and maybe have some lunch at the Cafe. This office is not manned yet, but we are looking for volunteers to help open the doors on a daily basis.

Wing Leader: Mark Mirin

A GREAT BIG THANKS to the following pilots who flew this week:

Harry Palmer

Arthur "Skipper" Tonsmeire

Richard Smith

Mr Scott Sowers

Jack Alexander

Patrick W. Clyne