NORTH NORWICH - Whether public or private, profit or non-profit, the agencies and organizations that enhance the quality of life in Chenango County are overdue for recognition. To meet that end, a group of aviation-minded citizens plan to transform the annual Airport Day held in June at the Lt. Warren Eaton Airport to a new, Community Service Day event.
According to Airport Day Committee member Robert H. Benton, Jr., the event would maximize and showcase the exposure of the “hidden treasures” in Chenango County that continually strive to help the community, but “seem to disappear into the mists of our day to day drama.”
The event will be held from 6 a.m. with a fly-in breakfast and continue until late afternoon on Saturday, June 13th at the Lt. Warren E. Eaton Airport. It is coordinated by GAMA Aviation, TASIS Comm Group and the Frontier Communications Community Action Team.
As usual, aviation units from Sheriff's Departments, New York State Police, Air Ambulance Services, Air Guard and others are being invited to fly in to the airport during Community Service Day and demonstrate their capabilities. There will be static aircraft displays and demonstrations.
But in addition this year, event organizers are calling for the participation of public service agencies such as: police, fire, emergency management, environmental conservation and recreation; public utilities such as NYSEG, telephone, television, internet and other communications providers; organizations such as churches, libraries, Catholic Charities, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, YMCA, Rotary, and more; and arts organizations such as Colorscape Chenango, the Chenango County Council of the Arts and the Chenango Blues Fest.
“We are hoping this can become a true community day, a day where any and all service organizations can present their messages. They can promote their missions and goals. They can recruit new members and volunteers…and take that time needed to educate the public,” said Benton, who is also serving as the event’s coordinator.
There will be no cost for booth space. Participants are asked to provide their own tents, pop-ups, tables, chairs and any other equipment needed. Reservation forms need be completed and returned by May 15th. For more information, e-mail HYPERLINK "mailto:donm@co.chenango.ny.us" donm@co.chenango.ny.us or for registration forms HYPERLINK "mailto:airport@tasis.org" airport@tasis.org.
“Many in the aviation community believe it is important to give agencies a chance to show the wonderful things that they do; to recruit for their organization, educate the public about their agency, and provide information about individual citizen responsibilities and like issues,” said Donald W. MacIntosh, Chenango County’s airport administrator. “We believe they need a large venue where they can display their programs all in one place, at one time.”