Charity Helps Cancer Patients Travel For Treatment

The Greater Washington Aviation Open, a charity golf and tennis event held June 8 at Lansdowne Resort near Washington, DC, raised $95,000 to benefit Corporate Angel Network, the nonprofit organization that arranges free flights to treatment for cancer patients using empty seats on corporate flights.

Senior aviation leaders from numerous associations, airlines, airports, manufacturers, consultants, businesses, and Congress and Federal agencies were represented at the event. 
 
In its 21 years, the GWAO has contributed nearly $1.35 million to support the charitable work of Corporate Angel Network.  Bruce Whitman, Honorary Chairman of this year's event and President/CEO of Flight Safety International, said the tournament served two important purposes.

"The first, of course, is to further the work of Corporate Angel Network which offers an incredible service to cancer patients who frequently do not have adequate health or sufficient resources to travel by commercial air, often multiple times, for treatment. 

"The second," he said, "is to express, in a concrete way, the industry's appreciation to CAN for demonstrating that business aviation can be a huge force for good by using its corporate jets in the public interest."

"Continued contributions by the GWAO and aviation community make it possible for us to expand our program and build further awareness, of CAN's work and of the public service contribution of business aviation," said Peter Fleiss, Executive Director of CAN.  The effort put in by the GWAO Tournament Committee for an incredible 21 years now means a tremendous amount to our operation and the patients we serve."

Paul Bollinger, Director of the GWAO Tournament, said he was heartened by the turnout.  "We did remarkably well in terms of the number of participants and money raised considering the current economic conditions the industry is facing," he said.  "The success of the GWAO is a testimony to the industry's dauntless sense of public responsibility and also to their support of Corporate Angel Network."

FMI: www.corpangelnetwork.org