Day in the Sky to inspire young people
Apr 15 2005 12:00AM  By

By TARMO HANNULA 

OF THE REGISTER-PAJARONIAN

Day in the Sky, a one-day introduction, education and hands-on adventure in flying the skies above Watsonville is coming to Watsonville Municipal Airport.

Designed to inspire and motivate physically challenged and seriously ill young people, the April 23 event is being launched by Shared Adventures and Challenge Air.

"We hope this day can provide an intimate experience for the 150 children that have been chosen for Day in the Sky," said Foster Anderson, founder and president of Shared Adventures, who was also instrumental in the creation of the popular Day on the Beach.

Participants will first attend a mandatory ground school where they will be given lessons about the dynamics of flight.

Vocational opportunities will also be discussed. Specially trained pilots, many of who are disabled and fly specially adapted aircraft, will then take the youths up into the sky for a flight along the coast, over the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and back to Watsonville Municipal Airport.

The youths will be encouraged to take control of the crafts for brief periods, said Theron Wright, director of operations and event coordinator for Challenge Air.

"We want to this to be a hands-on experience and a memory for life," said Wright, a physically challenged pilot. "This is about focusing on their abilities regardless of their challenges. Day in the Sky is designed to help these youths ask, 'What can I do?' I want them to think outside the box and expand their dreams and themselves."

The event is backed by a sea of organizations, including Children's Miracle Network, Easter Seals of Central California, Jacob's Heart, Make-A-Wish, Santa Cruz Office of Education, Special Parent Information Network, Rotary Clubs, The Jaycees, Watsonville Municipal Airport and many more.

Those organizations and others were responsible for coming up with a list of physically challenged kids for the flights.

Several displays and special visitors will punctuate the event, including a U.S. Marines KC-130 aircraft, the NASA Mars Rover, a California Highway Patrol aircraft and more.

Scott Rains, a vacation and disability travel specialist, said Day in the Sky makes perfect sense in Watsonville and Santa Cruz County.

"There are so many natural attractions here for everyone - children, elderly, disabled," he said. "People are just naturally drawn here, and events like this help make this a preferred destination."

Following the event, participating children will be given a Challenge Air T-shirt, gold aviator wings and a certificate commemorating their achievement.

For more information on the event, visit www.dayinthesky.org.

©Register-Pajaronian 2005