Local group donates $5,000 to help purchase historic biplane

Guns N’ Hoses, a local organization comprised of active and retired police officers and firefighters, presented Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation (AADF) with a $5,000 check to put toward the $125,000 needed to purchase a Boeing Stearman biplane. Called the Spirit of Wisconsin, the open-cockpit biplane will allow AADF to honor the growing number of senior military veterans living in America’s heartland with free dream flights. The aircraft will be based at Stevens Municipal Airport, 4501 State Highway 66.

“Our mission is to honor generations of military veterans for their bravery and sacrifice by giving them the flight of a lifetime,” said AADF President Darryl Fisher. “We couldn’t do this without the support of organizations like Guns N’ Hoses. We depend entirely on their generosity to fulfil our mission, and we appreciate their giving spirit.”

Fisher started AADF in 2011. Since then, he and a crew of volunteers have traveled the country giving more than 3,000 dream flights at no cost to families or the communities where they live. Dozens of military veterans from Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan were honored during the 2017 Dream Flight Tour.

The AADF’s inaugural golf tournament held this past June jumpstarted fundraising efforts for the Spirit of Wisconsin. This the second $5,000 donation made to Ageless Aviation by Guns N’ Hoses.

David Lamken, chairperson for the golf event and one of several local volunteers committed to raising funds for the Spirit of Wisconsin, said he was inspired to support AADF after his father, a World War II veteran, was honored with a dream flight at Stevens Point Municipal Airport. “The big smile, tears of happiness and overall joy my father displayed when he landed were things I will remember forever,” he said. “I am also a veteran, but prior to this opportunity, my father and I never found a way to share our experiences.”

For more information about the Spirit of Wisconsin, contact David Lamken at 608-334-5760 or aadflamken@charter.net. Individual contributions can be made via the GoFundMe page; search keywords Spirit of Wisconsin (https://www.gofundme.com/hkb7c-spirit-of-wisconsin).

Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation is a Carson City, Nevada-based, nonprofit organization established in 2011. AADF is dedicated to honoring senior military veterans from all U.S. military branches by providing free dream flights in a fully restored Boeing Stearman biplane, the same aircraft many military aviators trained in during World War II. AADF’s mission is “Giving back to those who have given.” To learn more or to apply for a dream flight, visit www.agelessaviationdreams.org.