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.