Santa Barbara Airport hosts Alpha Resource Center Plane Pull Fundraiser
Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) is proud to partner with Alaska Airlines and Signature Flight Support to host local non-profit Alpha Resource Center’s Inaugural Plane Pull fundraiser on Saturday, February 26, 2022.
On the tarmac at Santa Barbara Airport, competing teams will attempt to pull a 100,000-pound Alaska Airlines Embraer 175 aircraft with a rope for a distance of 15-feet in the fastest time possible. Seattle-based Alaska Airlines – serving Santa Barbara with air daily service for more than three decades – is the presenting sponsor of the event. The event also is hosted in cooperation with Signature Flight Support at SBA.
SBA has been working closely with all three partners - Alpha Resource Center, Alaska Airlines and Signature Flight Support - to organize this one-of-a-kind community event as a symbol of the amazing outcomes that can be achieved when the whole community pulls together in the same direction. Fundraising teams can include family members, friends, co-workers or even gym buddies. There will be two divisions: one for public safety personnel such as EMTs, Police officers and Firefighters, and the other for “regular” community participants. The event is designed for participants of all abilities and organized in compliance with COVID protocols.
The competing teams will raise money for Alpha Resource Center by soliciting sponsors to support their team’s participation. Each member of a 10-man team will raise at least $100 to participate. All participants will receive an event t-shirt and a chance to win championship prizes as a reward for the fastest plane pull, in addition to significant bragging rights.
“The ability of the individuals we support at Alpha Resource Center is unlimited. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate this fact than our Alpha participants and families joining with teams from throughout the Santa Barbara community to do something we all might think is impossible at first -- pulling an actual Alaska Airlines plane! Each of us is going to walk away with a new perspective on what’s possible,” said Josh Weitzman, Executive Director of Alpha Resource Center. “We thank Alaska Airlines, Santa Barbara Airport and Signature Flight Services for helping us get our inaugural Plane Pull off the ground.”
Registration is now open, learn more and register here: https://alphasb.org/plane-pull
To participate as a sponsor or volunteer, or for any event questions, please contact Jeff Henson at Alpha Resource Center, (805) 683-2145 or jhenson@alphasb.org
Video example of a plane pull event.
ABOUT THE PARTNERS
Alpha Resource Center
Few local non-profits are as well-known and respected in the Santa Barbara community. With the belief that everyone has a valuable contribution to make, Alpha’s mission is to empower individuals with intellectual and similar developmental disabilities to make their mark on the world. Since 1953, their programs have brought ability to the forefront, and highlight potential while supporting families, creating opportunities and foster belonging.
Media Contact:
Jeff Henson, Development Director
(805) 683-2145
Alaska Airlines
Alaska, and its affiliate airline, Horizon Air, have served Santa Barbara since 1987. Currently, Alaska offers direct daily service from SBA to Portland (PDX), Seattle (SEA), and San Diego (SAN). Since its acquisition of Virgin America in late 2016, it has increased its presence in the California market with connecting service more than 120 destinations across the United States, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico. With the emphasis on Next-Level Care for their guests, Alaska also just recently joined the oneworld global alliance to provide mileage plan members benefits worldwide to more than 1,000 destinations on more than 20 airlines. Learn more about Alaska Airlines at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com.
Media Contact:
Bobbie Egan
Director, External Communications
(206) 392-5101
Signature Flight Support
Signature has provided service to the private, corporate and recreational aviation community at Santa Barbara Airport for nearly 30 years.
Media Contact:
Matt Long
General Manager
(805) 681-6861