Date: April 23, 1975
Location: Carbondale, IL
By: —
Newspaper: Southern Illinoisan
Page: 24
Arthur Godfrey – the “old-red-head” of show business and radio fame – will fly into Carbondale to join members of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale’s Sigma Chapter of Alpha Eta Rho International aviation fraternity at their annual banquet 7 p.m. Saturday in the SIU-C Student Center.
A 40-year veteran of all types of flying, with more than 16,000 hours recorded as solo or command pilot in airplanes ranging from his personal Beech Baron to DC-10 and Boeing 747 jetliners, Godfrey will be honored with the chapter’s annual recognition award.
According to E.A. DaRosa, chairman of the aviation technologies division in the SIU-C School of Technical Careeers (STC), Godfrey was instrumental in arranging a “substantial” 1968 gift of aircraft engines, fuel injection units and instructional mockups from Continental Air Cooled Engines Co. at the STC aviation technology program.
Godfrey is a long-time friend of DaRosa.
T. Richard Mager, SIU_C vice-president for development and services, himself an ardent aviation enthusiast, will act as master of ceremonies for the banquet, which will also be the 1975 annual meeting of Wings of Hope, a non-denominational aviation charity group which operates mainly in Central and South America and New Guinea. Its main mission is assisting medical missionaries in providing care in remote areas.
DaRosa serves as technical advisor to Wings of Hope, and several graduates of the STC aviation technologies program work as pilots and aircraft mechanics in the project.
In addition to recognizing Godfrey for his aid to the STC aviation technologies program, a within-chapter award for the best active member will be made.
Other guests will include the officers and board of directors of Wings of Hope and the STC aviation technologies division advisory committee.
A dance will follow the banquet in Student Center ballrooms B, C and D.
Tickets for the banquet are $5.75 each. Further information and tickets are available by calling 536-3371.