Bahamas Habitat

ORGANIZATION RECOGNIZED IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES

Distinguished Volunteer Pilot -
Bahamas Habitat Volunteer Pilot, Mr. Gene Schmidt

Outstanding Achievement in Public Benefit Flying -
Bahamas Habitat

Public Benefit Flying Teamwork Award  -
Bahamas Habitat, NBAA & Aero Bridge

The Bahamas Habitat Team Receives Multiple Awards
Left to Right: Henry Knowles, Frank Moses, Gene Schmidt, Steve Merritt,
Abraham McIntyre, John Armstrong, Matt Hansen, Cameron King,
Jim Lee, and Sam Frasier

September 17th, 2010 Washington DC – Since 2003, the Public Benefit Flying Awards presented by the National Aeronautic Association in conjunction with Air Care Alliance have honored organizations and individuals who are committed to flying in order to serve others.

On September 16th the National Aeronautic Association presented at their Above and Beyond Presentation the Public Benefit Flying Awards at the National Capitol building in Washington DC.

This year one organization, Bahamas Habitat, was recognized in multiple categories for the 2010 National Public Benefit Flying Awards. The Distinguished Volunteer Pilot award was presented to a Bahamas Habitat Volunteer Pilot, Mr. Gene Schmidt. The Outstanding Achievement in Public Benefit Flying was presented to the Bahamas Habitat organization.

Further, all volunteers of Bahamas Habitat and all organizations that participated in the Haitian relief efforts were also recognized with the Teamwork Award, which was presented jointly to Bahamas Habitat, NBAA and AERObridge (previously CARE). The Distinguished Volunteer Award was presented to Justin Ogden, Captain, Civil Air Patrol, Southwest Region, Arizona.

Gene Schmidt responded to Bahamas Habitat’s call for pilots at the beginning of the Haiti earthquake disaster and proceeded to fly a portion of every week for over a month and a half in support of the mission delivering supplies and helping to extract people from the hardest hit areas of Haiti.

Bahamas Habitat Team Recipients of the
Outstanding Achievement Award
Left to Right: Sam Frasier, Gene Schmidt, Steve Merritt,
Abraham McIntyre, John Armstrong, Cameron King, Matt Hansen,
Henry Knowles, Jim Lee, and Frank Moses

Bahamas Habitat and their 125 plus volunteer pilots like Gene Schmidt, were extensively involved in Haitian relief efforts through the use of general aviation aircraft. The organization responded with a command center in Nassau coordinating hundreds of volunteer aircraft to deliver hundreds of thousands of pounds of relief aid as well as transporting doctors and emergency volunteers to Haiti after the earthquake. Volunteer pilots came from all over the US and Canada to fly with Bahamas Habitat demonstrating the amazing potential available from the public benefit flying sector.

NAA Presents Bahamas Habitat, NBAA and AERObridge the
Public Benefit Flying Teamwork Award
Left to Right: Rol Murrow, John Armstrong, Ed Bolen,
Marianne Stevenson, John Gaffney

“It was an honor and a privilege for me to receive on behalf of Bahamas Habitat, as an organization as well as on behalf of each of our volunteers, these awards of recognition for their selfless service. Those of us that served know ‘its not about us’. I was pleased that we had the opportunity to take a moment during the presentation to remember those that we served and those that are still suffering. I am so proud of each and every one that served and that was recognized by these awards.”

-John Armstrong, President & Chairman, Bahamas Habitat