Special
Olympics Plane Pull
at
DuPage Airport
When:
Saturday,
July 25th, 2009 as part of the Community Days Weekend
What
is a Plane Pull? :This
crazy contest pits men and women against machine as teams of 10 compete to pull a
70,000 + pound jet a distance of 20 feet in
the shortest time.
Who:
Teams may
be made up of any group of individuals, including law enforcement, fire departments,
private companies, high schools, colleges, fraternal groups, civic groups,
military and teams of friends and family. Each team must consist of 10 members.
Why:
To raise
money for the nearly 20,000 athletes of Special Olympics Illinois. Special
Olympics Illinois is a not-for-profit organization providing year-round sports
training and competition to 21,000 children and adults with intellectual
disabilities. Illinois is divided into 17 areas, which
manage Special Olympics events in their communities with the assistance of local
volunteer committees. Through training and competition, Special Olympics
programs enhance physical fitness, motor skills, self-confidence, social skills
and encourage family support. What started out as two sports at the first
Special Olympics Games at Soldier Field in Chicago in 1968, has now grown to 19
in Illinois. This growth in Special Olympics would not be possible without
volunteers and financial support from events such as the Law Enforcement Torch
Run.
Plane
Pull Rules: Each team of
10
will have two attempts to pull the aircraft a distance of 20 feet. The
three fastest-pulling teams will compete for the grand
championship. Each team member is required to raise a minimum of
$50 to be on the team. Each team must raise a minimum of $500. All participants will receive a Plane Pull T-shirt.
It is our goal that each participant will raise as much money as they
can to support Special Olympics program in Illinois.
Your
team could win a prize too! Trophies will be given to the top
three teams with the fastest pulls. A prize also goes to the team
that raises the most money. (Plane Pull participants are
strongly urged to wear gloves and athletic shoes).
Getting
Involved: Become
a Team Captain and sign-up your team with Jeff Henson at (800) 394-0562
or email him at jhenson@soill.org
or if you are already on a team, start collecting donations. Bring
the completed registration form and donations to DuPage Airport and get ready for the pull
of your life!
How
Big is the Aircraft?
-
Weight:
70,000 + pounds
-
Height:
25 feet
-
Length:
89 feet
-
Wingspan:
77 feet
Also
at the Airport: The Plane
Pull is part of the DuPage Airport's Community Days Weekend which includes the
Collings Foundation's Wings of Freedom Tour and
their B-17 WWII Bomber, B-24 WWII Bomber and P-51 Mustang Friday, July
24th, to Monday, July 27th.
Merchandise will be available, as well as
refreshments from DuPage's own Kitty Hawk Cafe. Also on Saturday
will be the Ronald
McDonald House 'Flying High BBQ' from 4pm to 7:30pm.
Call
(630) 208-6182 for more information and schedule
