Inaugural Holiday Party & VFW Airlift, December 2011

Holiday Party

Our first annual Holiday Party and Charity Drive was a great success!

CABA and the Flight Team of Metro State College - now Metro State University of Denver - collaborated to promote and produce this event. Using drop-boxes at FBOs and the Metro campus as well as collecting donations in lieu of an admission fee to the Holiday Party, we collected just over 1,500 lbs of food and toys.

The party was held in the combined Signature Flight Support-Sunborne Companies space, and much fun was had by all as people mingled and enjoyed very tasty food catered by Bistro Boys. CABA Board member Brittany Davies and Chair Reggie Arsenault took a few moments to thank everyone for their donations. Tanya Gatlin, the Metro Flight Team Coach and Professor in the Aviation & Aerospace Department, told the crowd about the team and how well it was doing in national competitions. She also introduced the pilot-students who would be flying the donation flights.

Two days after the party, CABA members and members of the Metro Flight Team then donated their time, efforts, and aircraft to fly the goods to VFW representatives in Montrose, Burlington, and Trinidad for distribution. A total of twelve aircraft were used to deliver the donated goods. Unfortunately the flight of six to Trinidad had to turn back due to weather, and Scott Dulaney of Mayo Aviation very kindly drove the goods there a few days later.

It was very gratifying to us in CABA and the Metro Flight Team to be able to deliver toys and food to those veterans and their families who needed it the most this past holiday season. We plan to continue and grow this event, demonstrating again how aviation contributes in a positive way to our community and our state.

(click for larger images)