Children's Air Corps Seeks Donations From Pilots

For a parent, the four words "your child has cancer" are about as bad as it can get. That's what doctors at Children's Hospital of Seattle, WA, told lifelong-pilot Richard Newman back in 2004. Today, thanks to immediate and effective attention from those same doctors, Newman's daughter Carli, 6, faces a hopeful future and he has time to think about "giving back."

Newman is optimistic that the "Children's Air Corps" will do just that. A group of local pilots dedicated to raising funds for Children's Hospital Cancer Research are combining their love of aviation with an equally strong desire to help children meet the biggest challenge of their lives.

The mission of the Children's Air Corps Guild is both simple and daunting: to raise $500,000 in 2007 to expand and improve research at Children's Hospital and develop treatments for childhood cancers.

"Things are looking good for Carli," Newman said. "But during her treatment she made friends with children she'll never see again because they didn't survive, kids like Kaitlin, a friend, who passed away in 2006 and for whom we named our first plane seen in the signature art created by Carli. Unfortunately, more children are coming in all the time..." 

Newman's Children's Air Corps is a registered non-profit affiliate of the Children's Hospital Guild Association.

The first major program for the fledgling organization -- "A Gallon of Gas for Children's!" -- asks general aviation pilots around the country to look at the price of one gallon of aviation fuel (currently between $3 to $5 per gallon) and write a check for that amount to "Children's Air Corps." Donors will be recognized on the organization's Web site, as will the airport from which the pilot regularly flies.

"Our goal is for every AOPA member to send the equivalent of the cost of one gallon, and if that happens, we'll meet our goal of $500,000 for all of 2007," Newman said. "We want to fill in a map of the US with at least one donation from each private and public airport across the country."

"It's the equivalent of one gallon from one pilot at a time, but when this gains altitude, the combined impact on children's cancer could be the same as a squadron of B-52 bombers," said Newman.

Tax deductible contributions can be sent to The "Children's Air Corps," c/o Northway Aviation of Washington, Inc. 10108 32nd Avenue West, Building C3, Suite 1B Everett, WA  98204.

FMI: www.childrensaircorps.org