b'COMMUNITY RELATIONSBKW | CYS | YYC77do and how we want to help those involved with the military, Young explains. As a veteran himself, he is committed to helping heal the various traumas that service members experience. We want to help people bridge gaps within the system, so our biggest focus is on education and awareness, Young explains. We want to let people know whats out there for them and how to get help. Long-term, we want to help veterans who dont qualify for much.Pulling TogetherStrength competitions known as aircraft pulls are another popular fundraising format. Orbis Canada, a nonprofit that aims to prevent and treat avoidable blindness in low- and middle-income countries, has been holding its annual Plane Pull for Sight since 2009. The event gathers teams on the FedEx aprons of three Canadian airports to pull an empty 757 cargo plane across the tarmac. The pulls are held at Calgary International (YYC), Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and Vancouver International (YVR). Teams of up to 20 people each raise a minimum of $3,750 for the chance to pull a 60-ton FedEx airplane. The team that moves it 20 feet the fastest wins. The first time I was at the event, I saw it and thought, Theres no way theyre going to get that plane rolling. But they do, laughs Alex Krievins, director of Development and Communications for Orbis Canada. It doesALEX KRIEVINStake a few seconds, but then it starts rolling. Last year, the three plane pulls raised nearly $250,000. Krievins notes that the fundraising event is inspired by Orbis the runway project.) It was tough, but sinceFlying Eye Hospital, an MD-10 aircraft donated by FedEx that we already had a runway closure going on,was completely retrofitted with an operating theatre, classroom, we took this opportunity and ran with it. Andtreatment rooms, and pre- and post-operative facilities. Orbis it went very well, Bradshaw reports.partners with health ministries, hospitals and teaching institutions Dan Young, president of RISE Foundation,in low-income countries to train local eye health professionals says that CYS was a fantastic location for theand improve access to care. The Flying Eye Hospital is just one fundraising event. Its a real nice terminal,of many tools the organization uses to deliver on its mission. there is plenty of space, the runway isDAN YOUNG For the plane pulls, the organization strives to make it as easy awesome and the loop we had was exactly 3.1 milesperfect foras possible for YYC, YYZ and YVR. The airports and FedEx work a 5K.with Orbis on overall logistics and security, but event organizers About 180 runners participated and another 70 or so peoplehandle the intricate and numerous details. showed up to cheer them on and enjoy the food, beverages,YYC is committed to contributing games, music and a static aircraft display including a Black Hawkpositively to the health and well-being helicopter. Support organizations were also on hand, providingof our community, says Director of information about how veterans or active-duty military members andCommunications and Stakeholder Relations their families can seek mental health and other well-being services.Tanis Fiss. Our contributions to the The route for the run included both the runway and a parallelcommunity showcase the importance of taxiway. The starting signal sounded at 1:30 p.m., and theproviding sites for vulnerable populations, course stayed open until 3:30 p.m. so those who opted to walkcreating a safer airport environment andTANIS FISShad enough time to finish. creating opportunities for underrepresented groups, she says. In addition to raising money, the event helped introduce the newly formed RISE Foundation to the general public. We wantedIn addition to allowing plane pulls on airport property, The to get our name out and show the community what we want toCalgary Airport Authority supports several community initiatives, AirportImprovement.comJanuary | February 2024'