Girls Club meeting March 19

What a treat for the Girls Club and all of us adults!!

The special guest speaker was Bernice "Bee" Falk Haydu a member of the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) in 1944-45.  She spoke of the training and ordeals of women learning to fly in that era.  In July 2009 President Obama awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots with Ms Bee in attendance with other notable women pilots.  She is a wonderful 90 years old with still the love of flying. She flew the 25th Powder Puff Derby and most recently she flew the ARC several years ago with Terry Carbonell as her Mama Bird.

The program for the forty plus girls in attendance were introduced to other women in aviation.
1)  Lynda Meeks an airline pilot and founder of Girls with Wings (nonprofit organization using women in aviation to inspsire girls to achieve their full potential) presented an introduction to the cockpit instruments and radio communication.  Two of the girls made a poster about aviation with a focus on Lynda.  Side note Lynda flew the ARC also when a pilot became very ill.  Lynda was able to qualify and flew in her place.
2)  Julie Padgett a pilot with the US Coast Guard also gave a presentation of what is entailed as a pilot in the SAR (Search and Rescue) missions as well as in the law enforcement and natural disaster divisions.  Julie had been on a mission at 3am that morning but would not miss speaking with the girls.!!
3)  Other women in aviation careers who gave short introductory presentations to the girls were from Airbus, Teledyne Continental Motors, Air Traffic Control, GAT Airline Ground Support and UPS.  The girls had a lot of questions especially about how many tests do you have to take!!

Lots of pictures but the most notable were;  Ms Bee with Terry and Inger (director of the Girls Club), Ms Bee at the signing with President Obama and her gold medalk, Julie of the USCoastguard, girls with poster and Lynda, Mama Bird Terry and her two Baby Birds - Ms Bee and me  and Inger and her tireless assistants.

Pizza was served and away the girls flew!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Linda