2nd Annual Holiday Party &  VFW Airlift, December 2012

Holiday Party

Our second annual Holiday Party and Charity Drive was an even greater success than the previous one!

Once again, CABA and the Flight Team of Metro State University of Denver collaborated to promote and produce this event. Our Flight Attendants' Group placed drop-boxes at nearly 30 locations including FBOs, businesses, and campuses around the Denver metro area. Our goal was to collect 3,000 pounds and we far exceeded that, amassing 3,500 lbs of food and toys.

The party was held in a Club-level suite at Coors Field. Sponsors were treated to a video display of their logos on the giant scoreboard screen in left field as well as on TV monitors throughout the suite. Much fun was had by all as people mingled and enjoyed very tasty food catered by Bistro Boys.

CABA Board Chair Brittany Davies 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.

Keynote speakers included Mark Sirangelo of Sierra Nevada Corporation and Joe Rice of Lockheed Martin. Vice Chair Barry Stidham then presented Jeremy Knight with the CAE SimuFlite Citation 500 Type Rating Scholarship. Jeremy is currently a flight instructor at McAir Aviation at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport, and will fulfill his scholarship sometime during the spring of 2013.

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 Grand Junction/Montrose, Burlington, Trinidad, and Alamosa for distribution. A total of fifteen aircraft were used to deliver the donated goods.

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.

We wish to give you ALL a heartfelt THANK YOU! so much for your time and efforts in donating the goods and helping us to make this possible!

Photos by Chris Swathwood and Mike Straka (click to view larger images)
                                                                                                                       

VFW Holiday Airlift