Presented Annually For Humanitarian Leadership

The NBAA announced Wednesday that the Civil Air Patrol will be presented with the NBAA Al Ueltschi Humanitarian Award in recognition of the organization's efforts to provide disaster relief for people and communities in times of crisis.

"The Civil Air Patrol provides an essential service to this country, by supplying not just aircrews, but also ground teams, doctors, nurses, paramedics and others to support rescue efforts following a disaster," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "These unsung heroes volunteer their time and expertise to provide assistance in 90 percent of inland search and rescue missions. The commitment to service demonstrated by the people involved in the Civil Air Patrol provide an example for all of us to emulate, and their selflessness is what we honor with the Ueltschi Humanitarian Award."

The Civil Air Patrol is a federally supported non-profit that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. The organization utilizes general aviation aircraft for rescue missions, and its volunteers have been involved in disaster-relief efforts including the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Hurricane Katrina, wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma, and other missions.

NBAA's Al Ueltschi Humanitarian Award will be presented to Major General Amy Courter of the Civil Air Patrol at NBAA's 62nd  Annual Meeting & Convention, being held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.

Al Ueltschi, the award's namesake, has been widely recognized for his lifetime of dedication to philanthropic causes. He was instrumental in the development of ORBIS, an international non-profit organization dedicated to preventing blindness and saving sight. Ueltschi, who has served as ORBIS's chairman for more than 20 years, has made a number of significant financial contributions to the organization and has been instrumental in developing many of its most important initiatives.

FMI: www.nbaa.org, www.gocivilairpatrol.com