Good Things Happen To Those Who Do Good

For Maria Weybrecht, the challenge of cancer has brought her -- and others -- great dividends.

As ANN reported a year ago, Cleveland native Weybrecht was grounded by cancer in 2003 at age 19, having just obtained her private pilot license and on her way to becoming a career military pilot. The aggressive form of cancer may have clipped her wings, but it did not stop her love of flying or her desire to share the inspiration, joy, and hope of flight with families who need it most, while giving back to those who helped her along her road to recovery.

Kids in Flight, along with its annual charity event, Wings of Wonder, use aviation as a tool to encourage seriously ill children and their families while giving them an opportunity to experience the joy of flying.

"We're using aviation to encourage and empower these children and their families," said Weybrecht. "Finding these new uses of the benefits of flying really makes a difference in a child's life."

Her young flyers come mostly from the Cleveland area, but have been known to drive down from as far as Pennsylvania. And whereas once she contacted hospital social workers, child life specialists, and other children's charities to find children who wanted to take flight, much of her new clientele now comes from word-of-mouth.

In 2003, 30 children and their families received flights from Burke Lakefront Airport; this past year, more than 300 children flew.

Maria, 23, is also working the educational side of her organization, conducting sensitivity training in the classroom to teach healthy children about children who are ill; why they might lose their hair, or have less energy than before. Maria's vision is to expand the concept from Cleveland to a national scale. With a volunteer publicist, her story and Kids In Flight have gone national, with a positive response.

Most satisfying for Maria is seeing kids smile when they get out of the plane. "It's rewarding for me that they feel just like a "kid" for a little while."

In the meantime, Maria is studying for both an MBA and a graduate certificate in non-profit management.

In May, Kids in Flight will celebrate its two year anniversary of non-profit status with a black-tie silent auction event at the 100th Bomb Group restaurant in Cleveland.

The next annual Kids in Flight and "Wings of Wonder" day is slated for July 21, in Cleveland. Volunteer organizations like the National Weather Service, NASA, and local science centers will conduct programs for all who attend.

FMI: www.kidsinflight.org