Wings of Hope is people: volunteers – business and professional people, pilots and mechanics, who are committed to the Wings of Hope aviation program to enable worthy isolated humanitarian endeavors worldwide to deliver their services where local transportation is inadequate.
THE WINGS OF HOPE MISSION
Wings of Hope provides aviation and radio communication services in support of medical, humanitarian, missionary, educational and other development programs in isolated parts of the world.
Wings of Hope assists these relief organizations with technical consulting, training, aircraft operations and maintenance, and aircraft, avionics and radio equipment.
Wings of Hope is primarily supported by private donations of time, skills, aircraft, engines, equipment and cash.
WORKING TO MAKE LIVES BETTER
To combat malnutrition, disease and harsh living conditions in remote areas of the world, many charitable organizations provide medical, food, agricultural and education services.
The terrain is rugged and travel by boat or mule is too slow. But an airplane can carry these necessities to people quickly and easily:
- Medical services and supplies
- Teachers
- Development technicians
- Missionaries
- Food
- Seeds
- Breeding stock
An airplane can also carry ill and injured people quickly and safely to clinics and hospitals where they can get the medical attention they need.
SUPPORTING THE FRONT LINES
Wings of Hope, for the most part, is a behind-the-scenes organization. It’s our job to help relief and development organizations of all kinds, including medical, educational, missionary, agricultural and construction operations.
The services Wings of Hope provides include:
- Obtaining aircraft suitable for bush service and providing necessary repairs and modifications
- Obtaining and installing special communications equipment
- Recruiting and training pilot/mechanics for bush service, who offer their services for subsistence wages
- Consulting on technical, operational and personnel questions
- Transoceanic aircraft ferrying
REACHING AROUND THE WORLD
Asia: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea
Africa: Liberia, Nigeria, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zaire, Kenya
North America: American Indian Reservations, Alaska, Canada
Central America: Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras
South America: Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay
Wings of Hope has provided more than 90 aircraft around the world.
Wings of Hope supports humanitarian organizations such as:
- Flying Medical Services, in Arusha, Tanzania
- United Methodist Church, in Zaire, Liberia and Nigeria
- Associated Mission Aviation, in Jayapura, Indonesia
- Wings of Hope Quebec, Canada, Inc., in Peru and Bolivia
- Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots,in northern Canada
ONE REQUEST FOR SUPPORT BECAME MANY
More than twenty-five years ago, the Turkana Desert in Kenya was locked in a drought. Rains on the other side of the mountains bordering the Turkana flooded rivers and blocked roads. Bishop Joseph Houlihan of Kenya needed an airplane to carry supplies and medical support quickly to the nomad camps spread across the desert. He traveled to the United States in search of help, and he found it in a group of St. Louis business and professional people.
To raise money to purchase an airplane, workers at a heavy equipment company refurbished and sold donated used machinery to supplement cash donations. Two years later, a single-engine Cessna Skywagon was dispatched to the Turkana Desert. Word spread quickly about the gift, and requests for airplanes poured in to the group. They went to work trying to fulfill the requests, and Wings of Hope was off the ground.
FUELED BY PEOPLE
Wings of Hope is still going strong. Its greatest assets are the volunteers who donate valuable time and skills to Wings of Hope’s work.
Wings of Hope must extensively modify most of the aircraft it acquires:
- Adapt for short takeoff and landing
- Add special landing gear-or even floats
- Replace or overhaul engines
- Install special avionics and radios
- Install extra fuel tanks for trans-oceanic ferry
Pilots, mechanics and technicians, as well as many people with other necessary skills, dedicate their time to highly specialized technical or administrative work. Commercial airline pilots take time off their jobs without compensation to fly airplanes to remote sites.
Wings of Hope is a non-sectarian, nonprofit organization that is primarily supported by donations of time, skills, aircraft, engines, equipment and cash.
ENDORSED BY LEADING AMERICANS
HONORARY COUNCIL:
- Sanford N. McDonnell, Chairman Honorary Council, Chairman, Emeritus, McDonnell Douglas Corporation
- Gerald R. Ford, Former President of the United States
- Barry Goldwater, Former U.S. Senator from Arizona
- Reverend Billy Graham, Evangelist
- Bishop Leroy C. Hodapp, Bishop of Indiana, President of the Council of Bishops, United Methodist Church
- Bob and Dolores Hope, Entertainer, Humanitarians
- The Most Reverend John L. May, Bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Past President of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops
- Stan Musial, Member Baseball Hall of fame, Hotelier and Humanitarian
- Joyce S. Pillsbury, Baptist layman, Chairman of the Board, Missouri Baptist Hospital
- Father Paul C. Reinert, SJ, Chancellor, St. Louis University
- Lt. Gen. Tom Stafford USAF (Ret.), Former Astronaut
- Rabbi Marc H. Tannenbaum, Director, International Relations, American Jewish Committee
- Bishop Jack M. Tuell, Bishop of Los Angeles. Past President Council of Bishops, United Methodist Church
- Brig. General Chuck Yeager USAF (Ret.), Test pilot, Author
YOU ARE THE CRUCIAL LINK
Today, Wings of Hope is needed more than ever. Like other non-profit groups, Wings of Hope relies on donations and grants to fund its efforts.
If you’re looking for a truly worthwhile cause, Wings of Hope is it. Your financial support is requested to ensure that aviation services are available where they’re needed most. All donations are tax-deductible.
Thousands of people are waiting for our help. Our response depends on your support.
WINGS OF HOPE IN A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
The Internal Revenue Service declared Wings of Hope, Inc. tax-exempt on January 17, 1969, under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Wings of Hope’s employer identification number, assigned by the Internal Revenue Service Center on October 17, 1969, is 43-0909606.
Wings of Hope Administrative Offices
1750 South Brentwood Blvd.
Suite 352
St. Louis, Missouri 63144
Phone: (314) 968-8833
or 1-800-4 HOPE 89
PAX: (314) 961-1464
Wings of Hope Hangar
Spirit of St. Louis Airport
Chesterfield, Missouri
Wings of Hope Staff
William D. Edwards, Executive Vice President
Rosalin Linsenman, Office Manager
Edward Schertz, Director of Maintenance
Tommy Thompson, Treasurer
Officers
Chairman of the Board, Paul J. Rodgers*
Vice Chairman, Joseph G. Fabick*
President, Donald Malvern
Exec. Vice President & Secretary, William D. Edwards*
Vice President – Membership, Joseph C. Waldner
Vice President – Marketing, Edward B. Kuhlman
Vice President – Human Resources, Eugene Pfautsch
Treasurer, Tommy P. Thompson
Chairman Emeritus, George E. Haddaway*
(*Founders)
Board of Directors
R. Craig Christie, President, Bendix/King, Olathe, KS
William L. Davis, President (Ret.), Emerson Electric Mfg. Co., Clayton, MO
William D. Edwards, Wings of Hope, Inc., Clayton, MO
Joseph G. Fabick, President, FABCO, Inc., Milwaukee, WI
David B. Flavan, Owner, Noah’s Ark Restaurant & Motor Inn, St. Charles, MO
Geraldine Werner Hawkins, St. Louis, MO
Clarence A. Hess, American Airlines, Lockport, IL
Ron J. Karsten, President, R.J. Karsten, Inc., St. Louis, MO
J. Sheldon Lewis, Journalist, New Canaan, CT
Donald Malvern, Vice President (Ret.), McDonnell Douglas Corp., Chesterfield, MO
B.T. McManus, Entrepreneur, Lander, WY
Paul J. Rodgers, Senior Vice President (Ret.), Ozark Airlines, Chesterfield, MO
Johnson M. Taylor, President, Jim Bath & Associates, Inc., Houston, TX
Mrs. H.H. Timken Jr., Canton, OH
John T. Tucker, President, Midcoast Aviation Services, St. Louis, MO
Joseph C. Waldner, Vice President (Ret.), McDonnell Aircraft Co., St. Louis, MO
Thomas J. White, Jr., CEO, Thos. White Company, St. Louis