Challenge Air for Kids & Friends, Inc. (Challenge Air) has announced they will be hosting a Fly-Day this Saturday at the Wilson Air Center Chattanooga, 932 Jubilee Dr. from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The event is designed to change the perception of special needs children through the free gift of flight and is open to the public.
Challenge Air for Kids & Friends provides the gift of flight to children from ages seven-21 with disabilities of all kinds. "Founded in 1993 by a Vietnam Naval Aviator who became a paraplegic in an aircraft carrier landing crash, we have flown over 35,000 amazing kids. Rick Amber’s philosophy was simple – use aviation as a means to demonstrate that challenges do not mean limitations, and we have had great success in changing attitudes of children with disabilities into one of capabilities rather than limitations, because of his vision," officials said.
According to Challenge Air Executive Director April Culver, nearly 1,000 children with special needs are flown each year during Fly Day events hosted in 14 different cities throughout the United States. Ms. Culver said many nonprofit agencies are involved in each event and provide various activities including a flight school and face painting, as well as arts and crafts projects.
"Together with Chattanooga Therapeutic Recreation Services, volunteers and sponsors, April 28, will be a successful Fly-Day. We are proud to thank Wilson Air Center Chattanooga for donating the airplane hangar, Rotary Club of Chattanooga for providing lunch for all attendees, Unum, EPB, Kohl’s, attorney at law Zack England, Chattanooga Down Syndrome Society, Chattanooga Civil Air Patrol and all of our other amazing sponsors. Generous donors are the key to our success and make it possible to give back to our community," officials said.
To support the Chattanooga Fly Day, contact Elaine Adams Gossett, event chair, at 423-643-6607 or eadams@chattanooga.gov, or Bailey Wilson, event program director, at 214-351-3353, or email events@challengeair.org.
If you would like to register as a pilot or a volunteer, go to the event registration page at www.challengeair.org/air-events1.