Building Confidence in Children and Youth with Special Needs

Greetings! As we begin our 30th year of building confidence and self-esteem in kids with special needs, I am humbled to look back at all those individuals who have made so many dreams come true. Challenge Air for Kids & Friends continues to be able to fly kids with special needs because of people like you! People who donate their time, their talents and their financial support. Thank you for helping us reach our financial goal in 2022 of over $250,000! And that number doesn't include the over $180,000 donated in-kind! At the end of the month we will be back in the skies of Ft. Lauderdale doing what we love! Hope to see you at an event this year! With much appreciation, April Culver CEO/ Executive Director

2023 (Spring/Summer) Fly Days Below are the dates for the spring/summer fly days. January 28th- Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Registration open- Pilots needed!) April 1st – Mesquite, TX April 22nd- Ft. Worth, TX (registration opening soon) April 29th- Chattanooga, TN June 17th – Spokane, WA Hope to see you there!

Register for an upcoming event

Calling All Pilots! Donate your time to fly for Challenge Air for Kids and Friends. Help build confidence and self-esteem in children and youth with special needs through the gift of flight. If you have a passion for aviation, have an airman's certificate and a min total flight log of 350 hours, we invite you to fly at an upcoming fly day. Visit the website HERE to learn more about becoming a Challenge Air Volunteer Pilot. You can also give us a call at (214) 351-3353 for more information or drop Janine a line at janine.smith@challengeair.org.

Celebrating 30 Years! Save The Date for the 30th Anniversary Gala on March 25th at the Frontiers of Flight Museum. Mark your calendars and be on the lookout for more information to follow.

Silent Auction Donations Needed

Support the 30th Anniversary Gala by donating to the silent auction. Auction Ideas: Game tickets, airline tickets, gift cards, gift basket items, vacation homes, museum or zoo membership, concert tickets, golfing gift card etc. Contact April Culver for more information april.culver@challengeair.org or 214-351-3353. Thank you for your support!

We believe that children with special needs must be provided with opportunities to expand their individual perspectives and renew their faith in themselves.

Spotlight on Joey! My son Joseph goes by "Joey". He has a lot of challenges. He has cerebral palsy and is a stroke victim. He struggles with low muscle tone on his right side but is making lots of progress. He also has a tracheotomy, so he really doesn’t speak but understands and communicates with a device.  He is in a wheelchair but needless to say we never let our challenges stop us from enjoying our life.    Joey was carried into the plane. The team at Challenge Air was so friendly. You can feel nothing but the love and dedication from the community that puts these fly days together.  The pilot was so nice and communicated with Joey putting his thumb up or thumb down letting him know he was ready for take off.  This was one of Joey's favorite things to talk about and a story to share that we put on his talking device that he shares with everyone.  It is an amazing experience that I’m grateful for.  I hope everyone gives their child this experience. - Theresa K

"My son has autism and has participated in Challenge Air flights for years, As always, all the volunteers from ground crews to pilots were amazing and helped spur my interest in aviation." - John D

Q: What Does the Challenge Air Mission Mean to You? David: It allows me to combine my love for general aviation flying along with my love for kids. Helping special kids and their families only increases my desire to pitch in where I can. Maybe I can make a difference in their lives, somehow. Q: What do you think Challenge Air’s impact is on the community? David: "In this day in age where we are so polarized in our beliefs and thinking, and we are so self-centered with our need for material things and status, it allows us and our communities to unite on common ground and humbles us to think about others and how we could be making a difference in their lives. When we do this, it can actually be quite rewarding and fulfilling."

Donor Spotlight A special thank you to Alton Aviation Consultancy for generously supporting the Challenge Air mission. Alton Aviation Consultancy is the first aviation and aerospace company to join Pledge 1%, a corporate philanthropy movement dedicated to improving communities around the world.  The funds donated will help bring smiles to so many more kids and lasting memories for their families. Thank you!

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