Air Show Performers Injured In March 12 Accident

The following e-mail was sent to ANN by the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) Foundation:

Dear Air Show Friends and Colleagues:

As you have likely heard by now, Kyle and Amanda Franklin were involved in an accident at the Air Fiesta 2011 in Brownsville, Texas on Saturday, March 12. It now appears that Amanda's injuries will require a difficult and potentially expensive recovery and rehabilitation process.

To help ensure that they are able to focus on the difficult challenges of healing rather than the financial challenges of that process, the ICAS Foundation has created a "Kyle and Amanda Fund." Every penny donated to this fund will go directly to Amanda and Kyle. It is our hope that members of the air show community will contribute to this fund as generously as their circumstances allow.

And the Foundation has made that process very easy:

1. By check. Make your check payable to ICAS Foundation and mail it to ICAS Foundation, 750 Miller Drive, Suite F-3, Leesburg, Virginia 20175.

2. Online. Go to ICAS Foundation website. On the left side of the page there is a Quick Link to make a charitable contribution. Use the link and click on "Donate Now" on the next page. Indicate the donation amount, and complete your donation by following the prompts.

3. By credit card. Call the ICAS Foundation Chairman, Caroline Trinkwalder, at 734-595-0864. Caroline will take your credit card number and expiration date over the phone and run your card for your specified donation amount. You can advise Caroline how you wish to designate your donation.

4. You can also call ICAS headquarters (703-779-8510) with credit card information and we'll make sure that the information is passed along to Caroline securely.

Due to the peculiarities of IRS regulations, a direct contribution to the Kyle and Amanda Fund will not be tax deductible. We hope that that will not deter you from making a contribution.

If you would like for your donation to be tax deductible, you can make a contribution to the ICAS Foundation Family Fund, a program that the Foundation runs to help any member of the air show community who needs financial assistance. An increase in donations to the ICAS Foundation Family Fund will make it possible for the Foundation to make larger contributions to people in the air show community - like Amanda and Kyle - who can benefit from assistance.

Thank you in advance for your participation in this very important fundraising effort.

Very Respectfully,

The ICAS Foundation Board of Directors

Kyle Franklin posted the following on the act's facebook page:

Franklin's Flying Circus

"For all updates on Amanda and myself, please check back to this page. I will only update this page. I will not be posting on my personal page or Amanda's personal page. Amanda and I are both still in the hospital. Amanda will be going into surgery in the morning for her burns and I may go in for surgery on by burn in the next 2-3 days.

Thank you all for your love and support,

Kyle"

FMI: www.icasfoundation.org, www.facebook.com/#!/franklins.flying.circus