Colorado pilots, MSU Denver students deliver Christmas cheer to veterans in rural areas
It's Christmas time, and one Colorado organization is teaming up with Metro State University of Denver to bring holiday cheer to veterans in rural areas. This year marks the Colorado Aviation Business Association and MSU Denver's 15th annual Ron Davies Memorial VFW charity airlift.
The holiday spirit was at the Centennial Airport on Sunday morning as MSU aviation Student Dominic Spina got ready to fly. For a year, he has been looking forward to participating.
"I tried to get here last year. I couldn't make it, so I'm really happy to be here this year," said Spina. "I have a few veterans in my family. A few current active duty members of my family as well. And, yeah, I like flying, and I like helping out where I can."
It was the 15th year for the event in which pilots and MSU students fly food, supplies and toys to rural VFW posts to help out those in need during the holidays.
It is, however, the first year without Ron Davies, one of the founders of the event, who passed away this year.
Another founder is Ron Davies' daughter, Brittany Davies. She is a Columbine High School shooting survivor who says she founded the event with her dad, a veteran, as a way to use their trauma to help heal others.
"We found a community that we were able to bring together, some of that trauma and heal it," said Brittany Davies.
She says being here without her dad is hard, but the turnout on Sunday heartened her spirit.
"It's slightly overwhelming to see how many people came together to be giving back during this holiday season. Even more heartwarming to be able to really engage with so many of my aviation friends and my veteran friends as well," said Brittany Davies.
Friends like Spina, who couldn't wait to get flying to Fort Collins so he could fulfill his part of the mission.
"Everyone likes to come together and do stuff like this. It's a ton of fun for all of us," said Spina.
It's estimated that pilots delivered 12,000 pounds of aid this holiday season.