COLORADO AVIATION BUSINESS ASSOCIATION DELIVERS HOLIDAY CHEER TO VETERANS

The Colorado Aviation Business Association (CABA) conducted its 11th annual VFW Holiday Airlift to deliver nearly 9,000 lb of toys and nonperishable foods to 10 mostly rural airports around the state. The project in collaboration with the Colorado Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) has been a way for the two groups to bring some measure of holiday cheer to military veterans around the state who are experiencing challenges.

Twenty-seven volunteer pilots, including several from the Aerobatic and Precision Flight Teams of the Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) donated their time and aircraft to stage the airlift at Signature Flight Support Centennial Airport (APA). Cargo was delivered to Grand Junction (GJT), Montrose (MTJ), Durango (DRO), Cortez (CEZ), Alamosa (ALS), Pueblo (PUB), Las Animas (7V9), Kit Carson (ITR), Greeley (GXY) and Northern Colorado Regional (FNL). VFW volunteers met the flights and will distribute the goods to veterans in need in time for the holidays. A few days before the airlift, CABA held its annual Holiday Party where guests brought toys and food which were added to the total goods purchased by the VFW from donations collected throughout the year. An annual average of 1,200 veterans and their families have benefited from the goods delivered by the airlift.