Sixth Annual Holiday Toy Drive at Meacham Airport
Benefits U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program
American Aero FTW hosts holiday celebration and collects hundreds of toys and bikes
FORT WORTH, Texas (December 5, 2018) – Piles of donated toys and rows of shiny, new bicycles once again filled the corner of hangar 11N at Meacham International Airport today during American Aero FTW’s sixth annual Christmas luncheon and toy drive. American Aero FTW is a fixed base operator (FBO) focused on the ground handling needs of private aviation. The annual holiday celebration benefits the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program, and guests include clients and tenants, as well as area firefighters and police officers.
Each year, Toys for Tots collects new, unwrapped toys to distribute as Christmas gifts to children in the community. The program benefits about 150,000 children throughout Tarrant and surrounding North Texas counties. Since opening its doors in 2013, American Aero FTW has purchased 550 bicycles and helped gather another 1,200 children’s gifts. This year, the FBO will deliver 50 bicycles and more than 200 toys and games to Toys for Tots.
“It is heart-warming to see the aviation community come together to make the holidays a little brighter for area children,” said Staff Sgt. Jason Smith, coordinator for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. “American Aero FTW has been a tremendous partner in our efforts, and we are truly grateful for its support each year.”
“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to get together with our aviation friends and neighbors to give thanks and to give back,” said Robert M. Bass, founder of American Aero FTW. “It is gratifying to be part of such a generous group of men and women, and to know that our efforts will help lift the spirits of children in need this holiday season.”
In addition to supporting Toys for Tots, American Aero FTW has donated more than $100,000 to the Navy SEAL Foundation, with those funds earmarked to support scholarships for SEALs interested in earning a pilot certification. The FBO also played a leading role in recent renovations at Meacham International Airport, including the opening of its new facility in the terminal building.
ABOUT TOYS FOR TOTS
The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November, and December, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.
Visit Toys for Tots Online.
About American Aero FTW
American Aero FTW is a private aviation terminal located at Meacham International Airport (KFTW) in Fort Worth, Texas. The fixed-base operator (FBO) is focused on the refueling, ground handling, servicing, and storing of business and private aviation aircraft and provides extensive crew and passenger amenities. In 2015, American Aero FTW became the first FBO in the Western Hemisphere to achieve the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH) from the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC); it was one of the first in the world to earn Stage 2 registration in 2017 and became first in the world to be awarded Stage 3 registration in 2018. American Aero FTW offers 280,000 square feet of leasable hangar and office space and is the primary tenant and only FBO in the airport’s main administration building. American Aero FTW offers AvFuel Rewards and is a Signature Select™ affiliated FBO, providing Signature TailWins® points, Signature Status® benefits, and the benefits of the Signature Flight Support network. American Aero FTW is ranked the #1 FBO in Dallas-Fort Worth and among the top 5 percent of FBOs in the world in the 2018 AIN FBO Survey. More information can be found at www.americanaero.com.