Valley Medical Center Foundation Announces Second Annual
San Jose Reid Hillview Airport “TAKE FLIGHT FOR KIDS”

A day of free flying & fun for young people with special needs

Saturday, August 8, 2009, from 9am-5pm.

Valley Medical Center Foundation, Santa Clara County, CA, is pleased to announce a partnership to produce the second annual "Take Flight for Kids" at the San Jose Reid-Hillview Airport, San Jose, CA, Saturday August 8, 2009, 9am-5:00pm. The goal is to show kids with disabilities that the sky is literally the limit to reaching out and overriding their perceived limitations.

Approximately 75 private airplane pilots will provide free, 20 minute airplane rides for up to 750 passengers, including young people with disabilities, childhood illnesses, and special needs family and friends.. The airplane rides will pass over points of local interest over San Jose, CA.  During their flights, participants are encouraged to take the controls and experience the empowered exhilaration of flying an airplane.

Gates open at 9am - 5pm.  Flights depart from the San Jose Reid-Hillview Airport main terminal of the San Jose Reid-Hillview Airport at 2500 Cunningham Ave, San Jose, CA 95148.  The first flight is scheduled for 9:30am; the last flight is scheduled for approximately 4:00 pm.

Young persons with mobility disabilities, cognitive disabilities, chronic illnesses, as well as "at-risk" youth are being pre-registered through several partner organizations in Santa Clara County, and surrounding communities.  Registering partner organizations include Valley Medical Center Foundation (VMC), Tradewinds Aviation, San Jose Reid-Hillview Airport, EAA Chapter 29, AchieveKids, Angels on Stage, Autism Speaks, Axis Dance Company, Bridge School, Center for Autism and Related Disorders Inc.CARD, Friends of Children with Special Needs (FCSN), Jeena Inc, Juvenile Justice of Sta Clara County, Make A Wish Foundation, Organization of Special Needs Families - OSF, PACE Pacific Autism Center for Education, Parents Helping Parents (PHP), Ronald McDonald House, San Jose Parks and Recreation - Therapeutic Services and Far West Wheelchair Sports, Silicon Valley Downs Syndrome, Special Olympics, The Morgan Autism Center and several similar agencies.

In addition to the flights, a concurrent activities festival is scheduled, complete with up to 200 nonprofit groups and vendors of assistive technologies, visits from clowns and face painters, free food and refreshments for participants.  The festival will also serve as an exciting STEM science/technology/engineering/math expo" with partners from dozens of STEM activities groups providing free samples and demonstrating their services & merchandise onsite. 

Individual and corporate monetary and in-kind donations and sponsorships are needed and welcome. 
See the website for details or to register:  www.takeflightforkids.org

About Take Flight for Kids

Take Flight for Kids is an organization operating under the Valley Medical Center Foundation umbrella.  Founded by the creators of the enormously popular Watsonville "Day In The Sky" series (www.dayinthesky.org), Take Flight for Kids is the only group of its kind based in the Bay Area dedicated to empowering and encouraging  young people with special needs and "at risk youth" through aviation-related activities.

About The Valley Medical Center Foundation

The Valley Medical Center Foundation supports the work of the Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System (SCVHHS), which includes Valley Medical Center (VMC).  VMC is the busiest hospital in Silicon Valley and the only one with a 100% open-door policy.  We provide care to everyone, regardless of ability to pay.  Because we serve so many of our community’s underserved families, we raise funds to enhance our programs throughout Santa Clara County and help SCVHHS provide the very best of care.  See the website for more information on the many projects supported by Valley Medical Center Foundation:  http://www.sccgov.org/portal/site/vmcfoundation/

About The Experimental Aircraft Association EAA Chapter 62

Experimental Aircraft Association EAA Chapter 62 is the Santa Clara County, California Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). The Chapter is a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to the promotion and enjoyment of general aviation. We pursue this goal through a variety of educational activities and programs for custom aircraft builders and other aviation enthusiasts. EAA is one of the oldest EAA Chapters in the country. It was founded in 1959 and, over the years, has been home to thousands of custom builders and aviation enthusiasts. The original mission of the Chapter was to provide support to aircraft homebuilders, and that continues to be a big part of what we do. But today the Chapter also sponsors activities for flying enthusiasts of all kinds.

San Jose Reid Hillview Airport

San Jose Reid Hillview Airport is Silicon Valley's premiere general aviation airport since its opening in 1937.  Following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, Reid-Hillview became the origin point for an emergency supply airlift to the Watsonville Municipal Airport after mountain and coastal roads were blocked, cutting off Santa Cruz and Watsonville from relief efforts by ground. The Watsonville Airport estimates that it received 100 tons of supplies via the airlift during the week following the quake.       

Exhibitors Expected Acts full Gospel martial arts youth department,Autism Social Connection,Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program,Breathe California of the Bay Area,Buddha Gouda Productions,Canine Companions for Independence,child advocates of silicon valley,Child Quest International,cmbsweets,Council District 8,Day of Discovery/Monterey Bay Aquarium,Developmental Spectrums,Discovery Toys,Eaglebots,Easter Seals Bay Area,EMQ Families First,Environmental Traveling Companions,Everything in the Universe,Faces of Hope Charitable Fund,Family & Children Services,Flix Photography,Friends Outside in Santa Clara County,Frontier Learning & Sensory Center,Greater San Jose Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,HandsOn Bay Area,Heavenly Companions Personal Care,Help One Child,High Achievement,Honey Child Gifts,HOPE Services,I Can Too! Learning Center,iFly SF Bay - Indoor Skydiving,Indian Health Center,Indian-Fusion Dance Academy,International Miniature Aircraft Association,Jeena,KAFPA,Kendon Candies,larkspur Hotels,Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes,Lucid Dawn Designs,Mad Science of the Bay Area,Magic Makers,Miceli Financial Partners Special Care Planning Team,NASA Ames Research Center,NASA/Universities Space Research Association,NEXT DOOR SOLUTIONS TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,Northwest YMCA,Pacific Autism Center for Education (PACE),PARTI Program,Phoenix Data Center,Posables,Pre-Paid Legal,Primerica Financial Services,Raise Your Score,Rebekah Children's Services,Rota Mobility,Santa Clara Family Health Plan,Sea Pony,Silicon Valley Independent Living Center,Single Vaccine Alternative,Social Vocational  Services,South Valley Community Church (Gilroy),St. Clair Aeronauts,Stanford Solar Center,Supervisor Dave Cortese District 3,The Bay School,The Paper Airplane Guy,The Riekes Center for Human Enhancement,The Sensory Center,The TeeGarden,TheAUTSPOT.com,Tucci Learning Solutions,UCCE,Veronica's Art of Dance,Youth Science Institute,A Special Nanny,A Tool Shed - Generator rental,Abilities United,Access Northern California,AchieveKids,ACM Aviation,Adopt A Special Kid (AASK),AllARTstudio,Alum Rock Counseling Center ARCC,American Diabetes Association,American Medical Response AMR Ambulance -- San Jose,American Red Cross -- Santa Clara Valley Chapter,Assemblymember Jim Beall Jr ,Autism Speaks,Avista Rentals - PA System,Axis Dance Company,Bay Area Parent,BBOYs Break Dancing,Bill Wilson Center,Books Aloud,Bridge School,Buckelew Program,California Dictionary Project,Camp Krem of Santa Cruz,Canine Companions for Independence CCI,Catalyst for Youth,Center for Autism and Related Disorders Inc - CARD,City of San Jose,City of San Jose Office of Therapeutic Services - OTS,Civil Air Patrol CAP Squadron 36 - John J. Montgomery Memorial Cadet Squadron ,Civil Air Patrol CAP Squadron 80 - Reid Hillview Airport,Community Resources for Science - CRS,Cops Care Cancer Foundation,Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund Inc - DREDF,Eastridge Little League Association,EMQ Children and Family Services - Addiction Prevention Program,Enterprise Car Rental - RHV,Experimental Aircraft Association EAA Chapter 62 - RHV,Far West Wheelchair Sports,Fire Safe Council,First Five Kids,For Pits' Sake,Friends of Children with Special Needs - FCSN,Friends of China General Aviation,Furry Friends Rescue,Golden Gate Helicopters - San Carlos,Guide Dogs for the Blind,Ham Radio of NVIDIA,Heart of Chaos / Heart of Kids,Hiller Aviation & Museum,Home Depot East San Jose #6672,Hope Flight Foundation,Industry Initiatives for Science & Math Education,Jeena Inc,Judge Katherine Lucero,Kiwanis Club of San Jose,KTVU TV Channel 2,Leontis JumpNParty Jumpers,Make A Wish Foundation,Marthas Kitchen,Mayor Chuck Reed - San Jose,McDonald's - Tully Rd.,MetDESK of MetLife,Michael L. Dworkin and Associates,Milpitas High School Best Buddies,Mobility Specialists,Morgan Autism Center,Mountain Charlie Chapter 185 E Clampus Vitus ECV,NAMI Santa Clara County,National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy - NCEFT,NVIDIA,One Step Closer Therapeutic Riding,Organization of Special Needs Families - OSF,PACE Pacific Autism Center for Education,Pampered Chef,Parents Helping Parents (PHP),Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services,Reid Hillview Airport RHV Pilots Association,Ronald McDonald House at Stanford,San Jose Fire Department - Public Education Office,San Jose Fuel at Reid Hillview Airport,San Jose Mercury News,San Jose Parks & Recreation,San Jose Police Helicopter,San Jose Public Library,San Jose South Bay Wheelchair Athletic Program Office of Therapeutic Services,Santa Clara County 4-H,Santa Clara Couty Roads and Airports Department,Shared Adventures,Silicon Valley Independent Living Center (SVILC) - San Jose,SJSU Department of Aviation ,Solar Cookers International - SCI,South Bay Soaring Society,Spina Bifida Association of the Bay Area,Stuart Rental Company - Tables & Chairs,The Flying Doctors - Los Medicos Voladores - South Bay Chapter,The Morgan Autism Center,The Ninety-Nines - Santa Clara Valley Chapter,The Tech Museum of San Jose,Town Cats Feline Rescue and Adoption,Tradewinds Aviation,U.S. Tennis Association USTA - Wheelchair Tennis,UHaul - Cargo Van rental,USS Hornet Museum,Virginia Community Center - Hip Hop,Vivian De Jesus - Clown,VMC Reach Out and Read,WeissComm Public Relations,Women in Aviation - SFBA,Zumba Dance,A Schmahl Science Workshop,Abilities United,American Diabetes Association,Angels on Stage,Cisco Systems Volunteers,City of San Jose,International Miniature Aircraft Association,Morgan Autism Center,NAMI Santa Clara County,San Jose Public Library,Santa Clara County 4-H,Valley Medical Center Foundation - VMC

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