| September 4, 2019 Lakeland, FL – SUN ‘n FUN and the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) have organized a relief effort to send supplies to those affected by the devastation of Hurricane Dorian in the Islands of The Bahamas. A receiving station is being established on the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus to process and distribute the supplies in partnership with Lakeland Linder International Airport. “Our facilities were used for staging relief efforts during Hurricane Irma in 2017, and we are using what we learned from that event to quickly organize and prepare to assist our friends in The Bahamas,”, said John Leenhouts, President and CEO of SUN ‘n FUN / ACE. “In coordination with our partners at the Lakeland Airport, we will be able to bring in those critical goods and act as a processing station to help those wanting to get these much-needed supplies to The Bahamas.” SUN ‘n FUN will begin receiving supplies Friday, September 6th at 9am for distribution. Those wanting to contribute may drop off at Hangar C on the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus, or ship to:SUN ‘n FUN Fly-InAttn: Bahamas Relief4175 Medulla RdLakeland, FL 33811 Those wishing to drop off supplies in person can drive to the address above and follow the signs to Hangar C, where a receiving staff will process the donation. The items will be sorted and staged for distribution to approved carriers via land for delivery to seaports. SUN ‘n FUN will also act as a base of operations for organizations wishing to use their aircraft to fly supplies into The Bahamas. All inquiries regarding flight operations and services should be directed to Lakeland Linder Air Operations at (863) 834-4911 or airportoperations@lakelandgov.net. Aircraft are requested to obtain arrival instructions from the Lakeland airport prior to departing their home field. Any overnight hangar, tie down, or other site occupation arrangements MUST be approved by SUN ‘n FUN Air Operations staff prior to arrival. For more information, please contact info@flysnf.org or call 863-904-4041. Persons or organizations wishing to volunteer their time to assist in the sorting and distribution of supplies are welcome and may contact the SUN ‘n FUN Volunteer Office at (863) 904-4044, or email rmcfarland@flysnf.org . For full details including directions and a needs list, please visit www.flysnf.org, call (863) 644-2431, or email info@flysnf.org. About SUN ‘n Fun Fly-In, Inc.: SUN ‘n FUN Fly-In is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to preserve and enhance the future of flight through world-class events, inspiring and educating people of all ages. Year-round events, including the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, which is one of the world’s largest aviation events, raise funds for the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE). SUN ‘n FUN Fly-In annually raises over $2M for ACE enabling the delivery of STEM-related and aerospace education programs engaging over 50,000 local youth each year. Additionally, ACE manages and allocates over $450K/year in local aerospace scholarships. For more information, www.flysnf.org. About Aerospace Center for Excellence, Inc.: The Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, has emerged as a nationally recognized leader in STEM-related and aerospace education through its various learning centers, outreach programs, summer camps and scholarships aimed at preparing students for tomorrow’s aerospace challenges. Located on the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus in Lakeland, Florida, the organization is known for its annual SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo fundraising event as well as the Aerospace Discovery Museum which is Florida’s Official Aviation Museum and Education Center. ACE is the world’s leader in producing licensed teenage private pilots and delivers youth programs that engage over 50,000 students a year. For more information, www.ACEedu.aero. |