Gathering of Eagles
By Jessica Luft, EAA 1084418, Senior HR Business Partner
EAA’s annual Gathering of Eagles was a huge success this year, and as with the majority of AirVenture activities, we could not have done it without our volunteers.
The July 31 gala in the EAA Airventure Museum brought together more than 1,000 aviation enthusiasts and raised more than $2 million in support of EAA’s youth education programs. The evening included involves dinner and drinks, entertainment, a silent auction, president’s choice auction, and live auction. A one-of-a-kind Ford Mustang, with a design inspired by the new F-35 Lightning fighter jet, sold at auction for $200,000. Also, the special “Raise the Windsock” activity, which raises funds specifically for EAA Young Eagles, raised $310,000 – its highest total in history.
More than 100 volunteers and 100 staff (excluding vendors) were dedicated to making the event a success. Our volunteers included local individuals, AirVenture attendees, the Air Academy staff, volunteers from Flabob Airport in California, the Alpha Eta Rho college aviation fraternity, and many more. They were everywhere and did everything, including such tasks as:
- Event set-up
- Serving drinks to the guests
- Collecting bids and donations
- Valet service operations
- Event take-down and clean-up
I have been part of this Gathering of Eagles event for the past two years in various roles. The passion and sense of community from all the guests (including some celebrities) is inspiring, fun, and a one-of-a-kind experience. I enjoy and look forward to the event every year.
Susan Senglaub, a first time volunteer at EAA, shared this about her experience at the Gathering of Eagles: “The Gathering of Eagles was my first-ever EAA volunteer opportunity. It was fun meeting volunteers that came from all over to help, including someone from New Zealand! The event was well organized and the volunteers seemed to really enjoy serving the guests. I was amazed to see how they turn the Eagle Hanger into such a beautiful venue for such an elegant evening. My son has benefitted from the Young Eagle fund, so I was more than overwhelmed by the generosity of the guests. I cannot wait to volunteer next year.”
On behalf of EAA, we can’t say enough about how grateful we are to have a dedicated family of volunteers to make this event an impact on our future, the youth.
If you’d like to be part of this unique and exciting event next year, please contact me by email at jluft@eaa.org or by phone at 920-426-6529.
