MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. (AFRC) -- Children are one of life’s most precious gifts, and when a child is ill or injured, the natural reaction for many is to reach out to offer assistance. That’s how Pilots for Kids, an international organization dedicated to helping hospitalized youngsters, got started. Founded in 1983 by airline crewmembers, the nonprofit organization’s primary activity is visiting children’s hospitals during the holiday season and taking toys to each child.
Maj. Rodney Biggs, KC-10 pilot with the 78th Air Refueling Squadron started a local chapter of Pilots for Kids, here, that’s still going strong. “In the last five years, we have been able to raise about $15,000 to pay for toys and various equipment the hospitals need and can’t get due to budget constraints,” said the Air Force Reserve officer.
This year, on Dec. 22, Major Biggs and six other chapter members visited the Jersey
Shore Medical Center in Neptune, N.J., distributing bags of holiday cheer. “It is really a neat experience to put a smile on a kid’s face who is in the hospital and even better since they are bummed to be in the hospital during the holidays,” said Major Biggs, who originally became a Pilots for Kids member in the summer of 1999, the year his then two-year-old son Nolan became seriously ill and spent weeks in the hospital.
The number of gravely sick children they saw stunned Major Biggs and his wife. Nolan is fine today, but his parents were so moved by the experience, they wanted to find a way to help kids who were less fortunate. During one hospital visit, Major Biggs tells about seeing a brochure on the organization. From there everything is history.
His local chapter has seven members and Major Biggs said they use their annual membership dues of $15 to defray expenses so that 100 percent of the collected donations are used to benefit children.
Pilots for Kids members include corporate, military and private pilots, and aviation enthusiasts. The group seeks people who want to help buy toys, work with area hospital directors to set up visits and deliver presents to the children.
“The name of the organization is deceiving—it should be called “Aviation Enthusiast for Kids” since you don’t have to be a pilot at all to come and help out,” said Major Biggs.
For more information about Pilots for Kids, visit the Website at www.pilotsforkids.org.