After a year that brought so many changes and forced the shut-down of many beloved events, Summit Aviation is thrilled to announce the return of their 7th Annual Cancer Survivor Flight Camp which will take place July 12th-16th. “It’s the best week of the year,” says Ben Walton, President of Summit Aviation, speaking about the five-day camp.
A Chance To Do More
Walton started the camp in 2014 to restore some of the childhood adventures young cancer survivors often miss out on during the course of their treatments. The Flight Camp brings four young adult survivors of childhood cancer from across the country to Summit Aviation’s award-winning flight school in Belgrade, MT for five days of flying adventures. Each day begins with a flight over Montana’s beautiful landscapes, followed by themed lunches donated by various local restaurants, ground courses by Summit’s instructors and behind-the-scenes private airport tours. The week culminates in a “graduation flight” to Driggs, ID, during which campers get a bird’s eye view of the majestic Yellowstone National Park and Grand Tetons.
Restoring Confidence
Inspired to start the camp after cancer touched his own family, Walton remembers feeling the need to help. “We have these great planes and instructors and I thought it would be really amazing to share that with people who have gone through such a tough time.” That desire led to a partnership with Eagle Mount Bozeman who incorporated the camp under the umbrella of their Big Sky Kids program. “Battling cancer at a young age has kept many of our campers from a lot of opportunities and experiences. They come to camp as young adults having survived that, but a lot of them are still unsure of their future.” According to Walton, putting these individuals at the controls of an airplane allows them to break free and take back some sense of control in their lives. “It’s a very empowering experience and so cool to watch their confidence soar,” explains Walton.
It Takes A Community
Walton is thankful for the growing community that has supported the camp, which is funded entirely through donations. “Our donors are awesome!” says Walton. “We’ve been very fortunate to receive support not only from the local and surrounding communities, but also the aviation community and it’s always exciting to get new people involved. We absolutely couldn’t do this without their support.” Those interested in supporting the program can donate through the camp’s GoFundMe page at www.gofundme.com/f/2021-cancer-survivor-flight-camp or by sending inquiries to [email protected].
