How would you like to be a gate agent for a day — giving announcements over the public address system, scanning boarding passes, and checking passengers in for the flight as just a sample of what you would be doing — at the airport?
Bid to Help Fight Cancer 2018 on Flight Simulator Time, Be a Gate Agent for a Day, Executive Lunch — and Much More
Perhaps you see yourself piloting an airplane for two hours by using a flight simulator with which pilots keep themselves trained. Speaking of pilots, you might want to experience a day in the life of a new hired pilot. Want to spend an hour in an air traffic control tower? Would lunch with airline executives be more for your taste and whet your appetite?
These experiences — and many more — are available for auction through the 2018 Gretchen’s Gazelles team from the comfort of your home, as you can access it via the Internet. Packages also include products such as luggage, hotel stays, model airplanes, Delta Sky Club lounge passes, restaurant gift cards, jewelry, toiletries, fashionable clothing items and accessories, and even coffee mugs.
You can even bid on a Delta Sprezzabox. For additional information about this specific item, please read this complete review with photographs by Lee Huffman of Bald Thoughts.
In fact, greater than 140 items and packages with a total retail value of almost $60,000.00 are up for auction to anyone who wants to bid on them — and all of the proceeds go directly to the American Cancer Society. You can even offer a general donation if you do not want — or in addition — to participating in the auction.
The auction ends on Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 9:00 in the evening Eastern Daylight Time.
About Gretchen
Gretchen’s Gazelles is but one of the teams which will once again participate in the Delta Jet Drag on Friday, May 4, 2018. They are focused on raising a total of $200,000.00 — which is significantly loftier than the goal of $85,000.00 in 2017; but Gretchen’s Gazelles catapulted to the top airport customer service fundraising team of Delta Air Lines worldwide after having raised greater than $165,000.00.
The team already raised $72,675.10 at the time this article was written and have 22 days to go — and the effort is in honor of Gretchen, who is the daughter of Jane Mitchell. Gretchen lost her life to cancer at only 33 years of age.
“Gretchen was a young, healthy mother of 2 girls before she was diagnosed in May 2013”, Jane Mitchell — who is a flight attendant for Delta Air Lines — wrote at her official Internet web site for raising funds in memory of her daughter. “She fought this horrible disease with such strength and determination. Gretchen’s outcome was looking better in 2014 after several treatments and she was continuing to live life to the fullest. In 2015 she received news that her scan was not clear and the cancer was back. After consulting with several doctors and trying some new treatments there was ultimately nothing that could be done to stop the cancer growth. Gretchen passed on 7/7/15 leaving behind many loving family members and friends. Her life touched so many people while she was here and even more since she has passed. I will continue my efforts on Gretchen’s behalf in the hopes that another family does not have to endure this grief.”
You might have also heard about Kenneth Gorelick — who is better known professionally as Kenny G — serenading surprised passengers during an impromptu performance aboard an airplane operated by Delta Air Lines from Tampa to Los Angeles on Saturday, April 22, 2017. Flight attendants asked passengers to help raise $1,000.00 for Relay for Life — but within approximately five minutes, passengers helped to raise greater than $2,000.00 for the American Cancer Society. The flight attendant in question was none other than Jane Mitchell; and the team was none other than Gretchen’s Gazelles.
Gretchen’s Gazelles finished in 2017 as the top fundraising team of Delta Air Lines and placed ninth in the United States. Additionally, the team was recently recognized as an American Cancer Society National Team of Excellence.
Summary
Cancer is a horrendous disease which can affect anyone. Tim Winship sadly succumbed to cancer just last week. Your participation in this auction could literally help make the difference between life and death for someone — but hurry, as the auction ends next week on Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 9:00 in the evening Eastern Daylight Time; and you will not want to miss bidding on at least some of the amazing items and experiences which are being offered.
I finally had the pleasure to meet Jane Mitchell in person more than once; and I hope to see her again soon, as I have just completed the security registration to attend the Delta Jet Drag on Friday, May 4, 2018. For her to turn a personal tragedy into an incredibly productive cause is truly commendable — and I admire her for that. The memory of her daughter Gretchen lives on.
I had the honor and pleasure of participating in the Delta Jet Drag back in 2015 by helping to pull a Boeing 757-200, which weighs approximately 125,000 pounds — and the experience was anything but a drag. I also had the pleasure of being a gate agent for a day more than once — and that is an experience you would not want to miss.
Will Gretchen’s Gazelles surpass the $200,000.00 goal? I believe they will do so with aplomb — but you can help by donating $50.00 to Bears in the Air in the ongoing fight against the scourge of cancer. More information is detailed in this article which I wrote.
Photograph ©2016 by Brian Cohen.
