Angel Flight™ Southeast launched it 1st Annual Aviation Charity Auction earlier this week, which is being held on the Ebay Charity Auction website. Dozens of aviation vendors stepped up to provide items for this first time event. Items donated span the spectrum from high end pilot headsets to left seat time in a McDonald Douglas DC-3. Examples of other items include GPS receivers, VHF radios, aviation flashlights, aircraft landing/taxi lights, seaplane rating vouchers, aviator sunglasses, aerial photography, aerobatic plane rides and front seat time in a World War II, 1941 open cockpit bi-plane Stearman made by Boeing. Items will have a seven day run time on Ebay from the date they are listed and 100% of the proceeds benefit Angel Flight™ Southeast. Items will continue to be listed for the next several days, and items are still being accepted for donation.
“Angel Flight™ Southeast coordinates free air transportation for children and adults with medical or compelling humanitarian needs” says Blake Mathis, President/CEO of the charity. “For over 26 years, we have been recruiting volunteer pilots who have a caring heart and want to help those in need by using general aviation to help”, he added. Volunteer pilots donate their time, their planes and provide the fuel to get these families to distant medical specialists. Humanitarian missions are also approved by the operations staff located in Leesburg, Florida. Transporting victims from earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters, as well as other non-medical flights such as assisting veterans, battered spouses and visually impaired passengers to get to and from a destination is also a part of our mission.
Angel Flight™ Southeast currently helps coordinates between 3000-4000 free missions each year for families in need. Funds raised assist in running the operations headquarters where a few staff members and dozens of volunteers take hundreds of calls weekly from families in need.
“The Online Aviation Charity Auction is a first of its kind for charity. We have been overwhelmed at the support we have received from the aviation vendor community who are willing to help”, says Mathis. Items and corporate sponsors of the event can be located at the website, www.AngelFlightAuction.org
Angel Flight™ Southeast, along with partner regions, which are all members of the Air Charity Network, cover the entire United States to provide transportation assistance for those in need. For more information about using the free service, or to learn how to become a volunteer, visit www.AngelFlightSE.org
