Building Community One Tent Stake at a Time
It can be hard to quantify the notion of community, but on a recent spring day at the Warren-Sugarbush airport in Warren, Vermont, it arrived in the form of two 500-pound wooden crates.
The contents of those crates? One 20’ x 40’ tent.
Over the course of two days, airport staff, volunteers, and teenage members of the airport flight-line crew worked together to pound stakes, unfurl canvas, and erect the tent that will host ground schools, flight safety briefings, and community cookouts.
The tent may seem inconsequential—not much more than a bunch of metal poles topped with canvas. But this tent is more than a tent. It welcomes visitors and provides a place for aviation enthusiasts young and old to gather, learn, and share stories amidst the bucolic landscape of the Mad River Valley.
The tent exists thanks to generous donations to Flight Experience for Youth (FEFY). FEFY is the non-profit arm of Sugarbush Soaring that funds scholarships to the wildly popular youth soaring camps to ensure that kids aged 13-18 have access to aviation education and flight training.
Jen Stamp, president of FEFY, shares her thoughts on the impact the tent has already had on the airport: “We wasted no time putting the tent to use! The day after we set it up, we had a club cookout. There was a great vibe. Kids were running around playing football and frisbee, people of all ages were mingling on the deck and hanging out at the picnic tables, sharing food and stories. The tent is a huge deal for FEFY and our youth programs. During youth camps, it will allow us to operate more safely by moving our classroom and meals outdoors, rain or shine. We’re so fortunate to have such a dedicated and passionate group of supporters to make this possible.”
Another great thing about a tent? It’s always open. Stop by to see it and stay to watch the gliders take off and land. I can promise you’ll be most welcome.
To learn more about the sport of soaring, or to book a flight lesson or scenic glider ride, visit www.sugarbushsoaring.com
If you’d like to do your part to help youth soar, consider a donation to FEFY. Any amount is appreciated.