FORT WORTH, Texas (December 13, 2017) – The Fort Worth aviation community is once again aiming high to help make the holidays brighter for area children. Hosted by American Aero FTW, a private aviation terminal at Meacham International Airport, the fifth annual toy drive and luncheon collected more than 200 toys and 65 bicycles this year, thanks to American Aero FTW employees and clients, airport tenants, and area firefighters and police officers who attended the festivity and brought donations.
Each year, Toys for Tots requests new, unwrapped toys to distribute as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community. Since opening its doors in 2013, American Aero FTW has helped collect more than 1,000 toys and nearly 500 bicycles on behalf of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program.
“Each year, hundreds of area children benefit from the generosity of the Meacham aviation community,” said Staff Sgt. Troy A. Benson, coordinator for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. “This is a wonderful annual tradition, and the commitment shown by American Aero FTW is greatly appreciated.”
“What better way to celebrate the holidays with our airport neighbors and friends than by giving back to our local community,” said Riggs Brown, American Aero FTW general manager. “The Toys for Tots program benefits about 150,000 children throughout Tarrant and surrounding North Texas counties."
American Aero FTW played a leading role in recent renovations at Meacham, and recently unveiled a new facility in the airport’s recently renovated terminal building. In addition to the Toys for Tots program, the FBO matches customer donations to make an annual contribution to the Navy SEAL Foundation. In 2017, a donation of $22,000 was earmarked to support scholarships for former SEALs interested in earning a pilot certification.
About Toys for Tots
The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November, and December, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.
About American Aero FTW
American Aero FTW is a private aviation terminal located at Meacham International Airport (KFTW) in Fort Worth, Texas. The fixed base operator (FBO) is focused on the refueling, ground handling, servicing, and storing of business and private aviation aircraft and provides extensive crew and passenger amenities. In January 2017, American Aero FTW unveiled a new 8,400-square-foot facility as the primary tenant and only FBO in the airport’s administration building. The FBO also offers 280,000 square feet of leasable hangar and office space. In 2015, the FBO became the first in the Western Hemisphere to earn International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH) accreditation; in 2017, it became one of the first FBOs in the world to earn Stage II. IS-BAH is a rigorous safety and ground handling accreditation from the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC). American Aero FTW is also a Signature Select™ affiliated FBO and offers Signature TailWins® points, Signature Status® benefits, and the benefits of the Signature Flight Support network. More information can be found atwww.americanaero.com.
