AREA VOLUNTEER PILOTS TO FLY IN CHRISTMAS WISHES FOR EAGLE VILLAGE CHILDREN DURING OPERATION GOOD CHEER PROJECT
Over 100 children in residential treatment & foster care to benefit from others’ generosity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 4, 2007
For more information, please contact:
Craig Weidner, Director of Fund Development & Marketing
Office: (231) 832-7295
cweidner@eaglevillage.org

BIG RAPIDS, MI ­ On Saturday, Dec. 8, airplanes of all shapes, sizes and colors will arrive at Roben-Hood Airport, Big Rapids, to deliver some very special cargo for some equally special children at Eagle Village. Volunteer pilots participating in the state-wide program called “Operation Good Cheer” are scheduled to arrive at Roben-Hood Airport between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. Planes will continue arriving throughout the morning until approximately 12 noon.

Eagle Village, serving children and families for over 39 years, provides a variety of services to help abused and neglected children and troubled youth who have had problems with the law. Programs include adoption, foster care, assessment services, residential treatment programs and adoptions in crisis services. Other programs involve youth employment services and adventure-based, experiential learning programs targeted to help clients of all ages in team-building, communication skills and self-empowerment. Eagle Village is located off of Hwy. # 10 between Big Rapids and Cadillac.

Staff and volunteers from Eagle Village will be present to help unload the wrapped Christmas gifts as the planes arrive. Eagle Village has participated in the project for several years, along with many other nonprofit agencies serving children across Michigan. This year, 100 children in foster care and in residential treatment at Eagle Village will receive gifts ­ thanks to the program.

Operation Good Cheer began in 1971 when a group of Ford Motor Company employees decided to pool the money they were spending on Christmas cards and give it to a worthy cause. During that first year of the program, there were 66 children involved. Operation Good Cheer has grown to include 40 of Michigan’s private, child and family social service agencies like Eagle Village. The project now benefits over 4,600 children by making their Christmas wishes come true.

The sight of plane after plane landing and ‘bearing gifts’ is quite a different version of Santa and his reindeer; however, nonetheless awe inspiring and full of Christmas cheer. Anyone wanting to come and watch may do so by arriving at the Roben-Hood Airport, 21325 18-Mile Road, Big Rapids, on Saturday, Dec. 8, between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. until 12 noon. The exact times may vary, depending on inclement weather.

The State Office of Child and Family Services of Michigan, Inc., Okemos, MI, coordinates and sponsors this volunteer program. Thousands of volunteers from several businesses, corporations, public schools, government agencies and individuals gather to purchase and wrap gifts from each of the ‘wish lists’ submitted by the children involved. Wish lists contain the child’s first name and last initial, age, physical and personality profile and six gifts they would like for Christmas. Other companies volunteer their equipment, fuel and drivers to pick up gifts from across Michigan.

Operation Good Cheer is a great example of thousands of generous volunteers ‘operating’ under the influence of holiday goodness and mercy. Thanks to them, 100 children in foster care and residential treatment at Eagle Village will have happier Christmas memories this year.