A Tampa flight club’s idea to help residents in the Keys affected by Hurricane Irma has really taken off.
- Club making trips to Keys to deliver supplies
- Pilots from "Angel Flight" helped with deliveries
- Students from Middleton High School helped load planes
The On the Upwind Flying Club made dozens of trips to the Keys this weekend to deliver supplies.
"It’s been overwhelming in a great way,” said Juan Concherio, On the Upwind Flying Club's president. "As pilots we work diligently to get our licenses and we like to fly -- we would fly to Venice for breakfast, right? But now we have something we can really make a difference with our license and to not fly for just no reason."
In just a matter of days, the club was able to collect tens of thousands of pounds of items like food, water, pet supplies and toiletries.
Pilots from the nonprofit Angel Flight, which donates pilots and planes for good causes, helped deliver the supplies.
“For me, my personal asset is time, and I could pay a pilot to do this for me, but when you’re giving your time it really puts your values in position, so there really is nothing like helping other people out,” Gary Coxe, an Angel Flight pilot, said.
Students from Middleton High School volunteered to help load the planes Sunday.
The club is still looking for more donations, pilots and planes to help. To find out more about "Operation Key West Relief", visit https://ontheupwind.wordpress.com/%20operation-key-west-relief/.