Unfortunately, it’s a fact of life: You can’t fly all the time. But that doesn’t mean aviators can’t come together for another cause.
That was the case in Tampa, Florida, in early March 2022 when members of the Tampa Bay chapter of Women in Aviation teamed up with Sheltair Aviation to clean up part of North Gandy Beach.
Altogether 17 volunteers collected more than 350 pounds of trash on Florida’s West Coast.
“Our Women in Aviation chapter has longed to complete a service project since early 2021. Upon learning that Sheltair’s community engagement program aimed to do the same, we quickly took action to form a partnership,” said Mariah Blackmon, the chapter’s vice president. “It’s remarkable to see two different aviation organizations join for a cause, and we look forward to doing it again in the near future. Beautifying our state beaches and having fun doing it — that truly makes me happy.”
In late 2020, Sheltair President Lisa Holland implemented a paid Volunteer Time Off policy that allows employees to volunteer with organizations that are near and dear to their hearts. That new policy played “a significant role” during this project, according to company officials.
A family-owned company, Sheltair was founded in 1963 by Jerry Holland, father of current Sheltair President Lisa Holland. It operates 16 FBOs, as well as a portfolio of more than 4 million square feet of aviation-related properties across the country.
