The Latest From Each Topic
From the President
From the President – Spring/Summer 2023
Is It Summer Already? 2023 is off to a roaring start for Wings of Hope. Not even halfway through the year and we’ve already celebrated a successful Soaring to New Heights Gala, completed the fifth year of our SOAR into STEM program for students in
From the President – Fall/Winter 2022
Dear Wings of Hope Family, Autumn is my favorite season. The cool crisp air, crunching leaves, long shadows at twilight — it is a magical time. I often think of autumn as a period of reflection on what we discovered and achieved in spring and
Global Programs
Global Humanitarian Network: Samaritan Aviation
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a relatively small country with population estimates ranging between 8 and 11 million people. It is also one of the most culturally diverse countries with people speaking 840 languages. More than 80% of the population lives in rural areas, with
Piloting a New Model of Health Care Access in Ecuador
Imagine if your ability to receive emergency medical care was dependent on the weather. That is all too often the case for communities in the Ecuadorian rainforest served by Wings of Hope partner Alas de Socorro (ADS). Due Diligence Mission This past May, a Wings
MAT Program
Meet Brock
Five-year-old Brock was a “beautiful, chubby baby,” according to his mom, Emily. But once he transitioned off formula, he couldn’t tolerate solid foods and wasn’t gaining weight. “He kept growing taller but getting thinner and thinner,” said Emily. Doctors in Brock’s rural Illinois hometown were
Frequent Flyer Micah Has Mixed Emotions About Last Flight
Micah is one of Wings of Hope’s frequent flyers. Born with one leg shorter than the other, the now 16-year-old has been flying with Wings of Hope from her home in Kansas to Shriners Children’s St. Louis since she was five. After 16 surgeries and
Soar into STEM
SOAR into STEM Helps Launch Student’s Future
Lisha Maganti is headed off to the University of Colorado Boulder in the fall to study aerospace engineering. Although the Marquette High School graduate always knew she wanted to study engineering, she credits Wings of Hope with steering her toward aerospace. “Before working with Wings
Boeing Funds SOAR into STEM Growth With $100,000 Grant
On Saturday, Nov. 11, Monique Bynum, community investor for Boeing, presented Wings of Hope with a ceremonial $100,000 check at the organization’s Career Exploration Fair which was held in the Wings of Hope hangar to coincide with the final session of the fall SOAR into
Volunteer Spotlight
Dick Horowitz Makes Final Flight as Chief Pilot for Wings of Hope
PHOTO: Dick (center) poses with Wings of Hope President and CEO Bret Heinrich (left) and wife, Patsy (right), after final flight. On Nov. 30, 2020, Dick Horowitz landed his last flight as Wings of Hope Chief Pilot. With a crowd of volunteers, staff and family
Leslie Cuppett, MAT Pilot
Being Wings of Hope’s only woman pilot seems notable — to just about everyone besides the pilot in question. After all, this isn’t the first time Leslie Cuppett has been the only woman in the room. She was the only woman in the aviation classes
Event Recap
Wings of Hope Gala Hits New Heights
The Wings of Hope Soaring to New Heights Gala presented by FabickCat lived up to its name on Saturday, April 6, when 225 guests gathered at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac to celebrate the organization’s mission-critical work of changing and saving lives through the power
Sister Gives Brother Raffle Prize!
Most people who purchase tickets to our biannual airplane raffles are hoping to win the grand prize: a plane. But a raffle ticket also buys a chance to win one of three additional prizes including a PPL (private pilot license) or advanced training scholarship. Brother
Wings of Hope Supporters
Boeing Funds SOAR into STEM Growth With $100,000 Grant
On Saturday, Nov. 11, Monique Bynum, community investor for Boeing, presented Wings of Hope with a ceremonial $100,000 check at the organization’s Career Exploration Fair which was held in the Wings of Hope hangar to coincide with the final session of the fall SOAR into
Hangar Hosts Media and Retailers Interested in Oris Wings of Hope Watch
On Oct. 11 and 12, Oris, the Swiss watchmaker that launched the Limited Edition Wings of Hope Big Crown Pilot’s Watch this past summer, invited trade media and watch retailers to Wings of Hope to learn more about the watch and Wings of Hope. The
Board & Staff
Meet Wings of Hope’s New Avionics Technician: Amanda Hill
Amanda Hill doesn’t fit the typical profile of an aviation mechanic: She’s young — now 32, she graduated with her A&P/IA certification 13 years ago — and she’s a lot more interested in the wires and electronics that keep a plane flying than its gears
New — and Familiar — Faces Around Wings of Hope
Top Row: Brittni Snidle. Holly Berthold, Lee Ann NolteBottom Row: Angela Walleman, Lena Pak, Larry Dalton, Dana Steffey Wings of Hope is happy to announce some recent personnel changes among our staff and board members. In March, we welcomed Brittni Snidle as our new director
Honorary Council
Elizabeth Dole is Honorary Chair of Soaring to New Heights Campaign
Senator Elizabeth Dole, a longtime Wings of Hope Honorary Council member, has signed on as honorary chair of our Soaring to New Heights Endowment Campaign to secure the future of the Wings of Hope Medical Relief & Air Transport (MAT) program. She joins Wings of
Meet Patty and Barrington!
Wings of Hope is honored and excited to welcome Patty Wagstaff and Barrington Irving to our Honorary Council. Both are esteemed pilots whose feats in the air push the limits of aviation performance. But what makes them such great ambassadors for Wings of Hope is
Young Ambassadors
Taste of Hope Raises $43,000 to Support Programs in Haiti, Ecuador and Zambia
On Sept. 25, Taste of Hope returned to the Wings of Hope hangar as an unprecedented success. The approximately 250 patrons enjoyed a stellar lineup of culinary choices, silent auction, 50/50 raffle, music by DJ Carlos Suarez and a special performance by Dances of India.
Taste of Hope Drive-Thru Edition Exceeds Expectations
Each year since the inaugural Taste of Hope in 2017, the Young Ambassadors’ annual food fest has created more excitement, drawn bigger crowds and, most of all, generated more funds to support the global communities we serve. Like most everything in 2020, pulling off a
General
Wings of Hope Promotes Amy Cole Buehler to President
On Aug. 8, 2023, the Wings of Hope Board of Directors announced Amy Cole Buehler as the organization’s new president. Buehler, who had been serving as interim president since December 2022, is the first woman to helm the organization which is celebrating its 60th anniversary
Wings of Hope Receives $2.5 Million Gift from Donald and Ruth Malvern Foundation
Malvern legacy will continue to fund hope and healing for years to come Photo caption (above): Don Malvern & Larry Lemke in 2003. In the summer of 2023, Wings of Hope received two gifts totaling $2,544,565, one from the Donald and Ruth Malvern Foundation ($27,142)