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: Patrulla Aérea Civil Colombiana (PAC)
Wings of Hope partners with Patrulla Aérea Civil Colombiana (Colombia Civil Air Patrol), or PAC. This team of volunteer pilots and health care professionals has been flying into the most isolated places in Colombia, performing health brigades for the country’s most vulnerable communities for nearly
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
MAT Program
Why We Fly
Meet Sofia Sofia’s first Wings of Hope flight from her home in western Kansas was her second time traveling to Shriners Children’s St. Louis. The first trip took 12 hours one way by car. “We’re so grateful they (Shriners) suggested Wings of Hope,” said her
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
Soar into STEM
Young Eagles Take Flight at Wings of Hope
On a sunny Saturday morning this past September, dozens of excited students and their parents — some of whom appeared more eager than their children — gathered at the Wings of Hope hangar to enjoy a Young Eagles Flight courtesy of EAA Chapter 1675. The
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
Volunteer Spotlight
Volunteer Spotlight
Our volunteers are the lifeblood of Wings of Hope. Whether they are in the hangar working on planes or in the front office managing administrative and financial tasks, we depend on them to do mission-critical work that keeps our wings in the air and our
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
Event Recap
Airplane Raffle Winner Has Plans for Plane
When Jared received a phone call from Wings of Hope with the news that he had won our spring airplane raffle, he called the experience “surreal.” This was his first time participating in a Wings of Hope airplane raffle, and it happened by chance. “I
Who Knew Pulling a 25-ton Plane Could Be So Fun?
Wings of Hope’s 2nd Annual Pulling for Hope event was a huge success. Eleven enthusiastic teams participated in this friendly competition to record the fastest time pulling a 25-ton Gulfstream III jet 60 feet across the taxiway outside the Wings of Hope hangar. Food, fun
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)