The annual Take Flight 5K will take to the runway at the Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) in South Carolina on May 24.
The 5K is being held to help raise money to add playground equipment for children 5 to 12 years old to the aviation-themed community park at the airport.
The race will depart from the park, which is located next to the Runway Cafe at the airport.
“The first Take Flight 5K, held last year, had 310 people registered to participate in the 5K and 58 in the kid’s run. Many people from Greenville and the local region came out to help raise money for the park. It was a great first year event turn out,” stated Joe Lanahan, Take Flight 5K Race Director. “This year we expect to have over 500 participate.”
The event is on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Greenville’s Civil Air Patrol will present the Honor Guard and also conduct the ceremonial Prisoner of War (POW)/Missing in Action (MIA) “Missing Man” table ceremony, which is a mainstay for military programs honoring lost solders. According to the National League of POW/MIA Families guidelines, each POW/MIA table is to be set with absolute precision and was a highlight of last year’s program, airport officials noted.
“The program was very well received last year. One father said that the “Missing Man” table prompted his family to discuss what Memorial Day is really all about. What a great teaching moment,” stated Lanahan.
“We will have some very unique prizes,” he continued. “The Best Overall Take Flight 5K Male and Female winners will receive a cool airplane gauge mounted to an award base. The gauge, a Tachometer, is used to indicate engine speed in revolutions per minute (RPM). It also shows the planes flight hours which helps pilots keep track of maintenance needed. It functions for an aircraft much like a vehicle’s mileage counter does for a car. All kids run participants will get Take Flight 5K ‘Dog Tags’ and everyone will get an event T-shirt. Other prizes will also be awarded.”
GMU is the busiest general aviation airport in South Carolina and is a self-sufficient entity with financial strength that doesn’t rely on local taxpayers for funding. GMU is home to Greenville Jet Center, the largest FBO in the state, as well as more than 25 other aviation-related businesses creating 453 jobs that annually contribute more than $35.2 million to the local economy.
For more information: GreenvilleDowntownAirport.com