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Centennial Of Flight Project Nets Military Families Fund $50K

By Holly Bridges

One of the most celebrated and highly visible Centennial of Flight projects to occur across Canada in 2009 – the Hawk One F-86 Sabre – has resulted in a $50,000 donation to the Military Families Fund (MFF). At a recent ceremony in Ottawa, Lieutenant-General André Deschamps, Chief of the Air Staff, presented a cheque to the fund on behalf the entire Hawk One team, and members of the Air Force, who volunteered their time and expertise to see the F-86 fly again during this centennial year. “We are extremely pleased with the recent donation,” says Sandra Gauthier, Senior Manager of the Military Families Fund. “The MFF exists only through the generous donations from Canadians. This donation will allow us to continue assisting our military families in times of need. To date the MFF has helped over 306 families.”

The Hawk One Project saw the refurbishment of a classic F-86 Sabre jet painted in the colours of legendary Golden Hawks aerobatic team that thrilled Canadians for five air show seasons beginning in 1959 for the 50th anniversary of powered flight in Canada. Purchased by Vintage Wings of Canada and lovingly restored, flown, maintained and managed by a team of highly dedicated military and civilian maintainers, pilots and countless other volunteers, the Hawk One Project is a non-profit venture supported by corporate sponsorships and other sources of private funding.

Following the closeout of their 2009 air show season, Hawk One organizers stayed true to their word and presented the Military Families Fund with their remaining proceeds. In presenting the cheque, LGen Deschamps emphasized the importance of military families and the contributions they make to the success of Air Force and Canadian Forces operations at home and abroad. He also congratulated members of the Hawk One team for making the venture a reality as part of the overall Centennial of Flight military celebrations.

About the Military Families Fund
The MFF is an agile and responsive means for Base and Wing Commanders, in concert with Military Family Resource Centers (MFRC) across the country, to help military families within hours of being advised of need. It will help with short-term emergencies and also provide long-term support. The MFF allows CF leadership to meet the special-case needs of CF members and their families with speed and flexibility not always available through the traditional programs. The MFF enhances and complements, it does not replace, existing public and non-public programs. The Fund fills the gaps by providing for the unforeseen and often immediate needs that families may have due to conditions of service.

The MFF works with the already established and substantial existing support programs offered through the Canadian Forces Personnel Support and Family Services (CFPFSS) and elsewhere, to CF members and their families. The MFF allows for several areas of support, including rehabilitation, education, financial assistance in the case of injury or death of a CF member due to service, and urgent and extraordinary financial demands where the ability to provide family necessities is at risk.
(Original article appeared in The Courier, Cold Lake, 24 November 2009)

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MW Team Updates • Director General Personnel & Family Support Services
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