NEWS..........
CELEBRATE WITH US, 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LANDING JULY 22 & 23 2023! Within this Newsletter is just the beginning of our confirmed event details for the Milestone 40TH Anniversary taking place Saturday, July 22nd and Sunday, 23rd. Our Gimli Glider team is experiencing high interest in this Anniversary and we will attempt to answer some of the frequently asked questions. We appreciate the public interest and are working towards a memory making weekend. One overlooked particular facet of the history that we often speak about is directed towards the amount of local participation. The unexpected arrival of a huge passenger aircraft on a small-town decommissioned airstrip, found shoeless passengers deplaning down the chutes, leaving their belongs behind in the silent giant of a plane. Greeted by Winnipeg Sports Car Club members and their families, they immediately began bringing forward, tables and chairs. Local members of the police and fire assisted with the unfolding scene. Discussion began of how to transport and accommodate passengers thru the next coming hours. Gimli hospital staff had been alerted to the possible passenger care and needs from the landing. All of this local participation was happening while awaiting the arrival in Gimli of Air Canada staff to take care of their passengers, local people providing the necessary comfort and aid. We will place a commemorative plaque in the area of the racetrack where the nose of the famous Gimli Glider Aircraft came to rest, and invite to be present those participants that were at the racetrack that evening, to be acknowledged for their participation. The public will be invited to attend Sunday the 40th Anniversary, July 23rd, as we hold the ceremony jointly with the Winnipeg Sports Car Club. Pilot Capt. Bob Pearson will install the plaque at the landing site. Capt. Pearson will be accompanied by other flight crew from that evening and passengers. We will, in a future website notice, list names of the attending participants, both local and on the aircraft.
DINNER EVENT SATURDAY, JULY 22 Revisiting the evening 40 years ago will be a theme for this night. There was a large Gimli High School reunion dinner and dance taking place in the area of the airstrip. So many of our visitors have reminisced about their attendance that evening. We have been offered the use of a large hangar runway side and are thrilled to accept this offer and revisit as best we can the memories of that evening. Dinner, dance, and speakers will be part of this evening, a list to reserve tickets is now in place and a further notice with more details (price), will be coming forth within the next month as we finalize a budget for the evening. A CRA Tax Receipt will be provided to attendees for the donation funds portion that go towards the operation of the Manitoba Registered Non Profit Organization, and a Federal Charitable Gimli Glider Museum (Operating as Gimli Glider Exhibit). Wishing to be placed on the 40th Anniversary tickets reserved list? Please contact us through our website, www.gimliglider.org, Contact Us Page (email gimligliderinfo@gmail.com). Individuals from last year’s event are already on this list, and have no need to reconfirm their attendance. This information is just the start of more website and Facebook notices as we progress towards this event weekend. If you wish to be placed on an “E Mail information notice list” please let us know through our website, www.gimliglider.org, Contact Us Page (email gimligliderinfo@gmail.com).
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The Gimli Glider Exhibit is looking for summer volunteers... Does the Gimli Glider story interest you? Do you have an interest in aviation? Do you enjoy meeting people from around the world? Are you available for 1 or 2 shifts per week? Are you at least 18 years old? If your answer is "YES" to those questions, and you're interested in becoming a volunteer, send an email to gimliglider2015@gmail.com for more information...
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