Competition To Raise Money For Orbis Flying Eye Hospital

Two football teams will vye for the chance to out-tug each other, pulling a DC-10 for a charity fundraiser.

Officials in Victorville, CA devised the fundraiser between Apple Valley High School and Siverado High School, whose rival football teams will pull the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital DC-10 with a long rope, according to the Victorville Valley Press.

The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital DC-10 has been flying around the world since 1982, and is ready for use in the Far East after a recent overhaul at the Southern California Logistics Airport.

"The airplane is an old airplane, and we discovered a lot of problems," Worsham said. FedEx, one of the plane's main benefactors, helped with the overhaul; Victorville was able to find a crucial part and fly the plane to Los Angeles for repair.

The plane-pull will take place October 30, on the tarmac of Southern California Logistics Airport in a battle of speed and endurance to raise money for residents of third world countries that need glasses, or have other eye related ailments, but can't afford them.

According to the World Health Organization about 75 percent of those who are blind can be cured.

For the eye care fundraiser, the footbal teams will compete in uniform during the tug-fest.

"They'll be wearing gloves and football helmets, and the team that gets to 20 meters first wins," said Jim Worsham, business development director at SCLA, who was instrumental in making Victorville Orbis' US home.

After the race there will be an endurance test to determine the minimum amount of people that can pull the 350,000-pound plane.

This event is a rehearsal for a similar fundraising event planned in Macau in December, where five corporate sponsors will compete, and will pay $10,000 each for the opportunity.

City officials will present the chairman of Orbis a check from the event in Victorville, on October, 26.

FMI: www.orbis.org/, www.logisticsairport.com/index.php