Santa Barbara Airport (SBA), Alaska Airlines and Atlantic Aviation will host nonprofit Alpha Resource Center’s 3rd Annual Plane Pull fundraiser, Saturday, March 2 at the airport. The Plane Pull starts at 10 a.m. and is free to attend.
On the SBA airfield competing teams will attempt to pull a nearly 100,000-pound Alaska Airlines Embraer 175 aircraft with a rope for a distance of 20 feet in the fastest time possible.
Fundraising teams are made up of 10 people and can include family members, friends, co-workers, even gym buddies.
There will be four divisions: one for public safety personnel such as EMTs, police officers, firefighters, and military personnel; one for schools; a disability division; and an open division for all other community participants. The event is designed for participants of all abilities and ages.
Competing teams will raise money for Alpha Resource Center by soliciting donors and sponsors to support their team’s participation. Each team in the Public Safety and Open Division needs to raise $1,000 to compete (or $100 per person). The School and Disability Division teams need to raise $500 to compete ($50 per person).
All participants will receive an event t-shirt and a chance to win championship prizes as a reward for the fastest plane pull.
All Plane Pull activities will take place at Atlantic Aviation, 1503 Cook Place. To register and learn more, visit https://alphasb.org/plane-pull.
West Coast-based Alaska Airlines, serving Santa Barbara for some 30 years, is the event’s presenting sponsor.
“At Alaska Airlines, our commitment to connecting communities extends to the disability community,” said Steve Nelson, Alaska Airlines, access and diversity program manager.
“Through initiatives like Disability Practice Flights, Plane Pull events, and the innovative Fly For All app, we proudly champion disability inclusion, ensuring a seamless and supportive travel experience for everyone,” he said.
New this year, SBA and Alaska Airlines will host a private event for participants of Alpha Resource Center’s programs to experience what it’s like to be a passenger on a commercial flight.
This Disability Flight Experience will be held at SBA’s Terminal before the Plane Pull. Participants will walk through the terminal as if they are ticketed passengers of a flight from check-in, through the TSA security check-point, and onto the Alaska Airlines E-175 aircraft.
“It’s been amazing to watch Alpha Resource Center participants, families, and community members come together for this remarkable event the last two years,” said Joshua Weitzman, executive director of Alpha Resource Center.
“With more community teams than ever before and new experiences for individuals with developmental disabilities, this year is sure to be a memorable and exciting day for everyone involved,” he said.
Alpha Resource Center thanks the following sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor: Alaska Airlines
Gold Sponsor: M Timm Development, Inc.
Silver Sponsor: HUB International
Bronze Sponsors: American Riviera Bank, Dante & Maria Panizzon, James & Susan Chapman, Reid & Robin Cederlof, The Oshay Family Foundation, McCoy Electric Corporation, and C&D LLP.
Venue Sponsors: Santa Barbara Airport and Atlantic Aviation
To participate as a sponsor or for any event questions, contact Jeff Henson at Alpha Resource Center, 805-683-2145 or jhenson@alphasb.org.