Latest news with #EdTaylor
Otago Daily Times
02-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Warbird scholarship programme widened
A vintage Spitfire takes off for a practice flight during Warbirds over Wanaka last year. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON Warbird aircraft engineers are now eligible to apply along with Warbird pilots to the Warbirds Over Wanaka Community Trust scholarship programme, the trust has announced. Warbirds Over Wanaka general manager Ed Taylor said since 2016, scholarships worth a total of $40,000 had been awarded to younger Warbird pilots to help them get valuable time flying historic aircraft. Most of the recipients to date were involved in last year's airshow, Mr Taylor said. The scholarship programme was paused after Covid forced the cancellation of the 2020 and 2022 airshows but, following last year's successful event, the trust was now in a position to resume the programme, he said. The original scholarships were restricted to pilots, but the trust had decided to increase the number of scholarships and expand who could apply, meaning Warbird aircraft engineers were now eligible. Each scholarship would now be worth up to $10,000 following each airshow from now. The number and value of scholarships awarded would remain at the discretion of the trust's scholarship team, he said. Applications for the 2025 scholarship round open next month. — APL
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Law Enforcement Torch Run in Decatur raises money, awareness for Special Olympics
May 17—Logan Mortensen, investigator for the Morgan County Sheriff's Office, found a place in the crowd among other officers and runners at the starting point of the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run in Decatur on Friday that benefits the Special Olympics. "It's for a good cause, and it's also good exercise," said Mortensen, 27, from Somerville. "It's for all the people out there with special needs; it's honoring them. ... We love when everybody participates for this cause." Started in 1981 in Wichita, Kansas, the Law Enforcement Torch Run sees more than 97,000 law enforcement members across all 50 states carry the torch, called the "Flame of Hope," into the opening ceremonies of local Special Olympics competitions. With the support of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Torch Run has become the largest public awareness and fundraising group for the Special Olympics. Former Decatur police Chief Ed Taylor, who died last year, is credited with bringing the Torch Run to Morgan County and it is done in his honor. His wife, Carol Taylor, was at the event with their son Lane Barnes, who has participated in the Special Olympics, selling T-shirts. Taylor said her husband loved the Special Olympics program. "He has done things like a fundraiser where they'd go up on the roof of Walmart and stay up there until they raised a certain amount of money," she said. "He was up there one night, and I was at home in bed asleep, of course. There was a horrible storm. I mean it was thunder and lightning — a take-cover kind of storm. I thought I should really call him and tell him to come down. "And then I thought, that's useless because he's not moving." Taylor said all the local law enforcement are family. "It's an honor to just be here. It's just a wonderful, wonderful thing. ... It was a good group. I'm happy to see them all participating. It's good to see the Special Olympics program grow," Taylor said. "My son Lane has benefited so much from that program. I couldn't begin to tell you what the Special Olympics has done for him." There were T-shirts for sale for runners and anyone else interested. About 50 T-shirts were sold at $20 each, raising about $1,000 for the Special Olympics. There were about 25 runners with the torch on Friday. A Morgan County Sheriff's Office patrol car activated its sirens and lights ahead of the group, while two more plus a Decatur Police Department patrol car followed behind. "We love supporting our special Olympiads, and the Special Olympics is close to law enforcement," said Morgan County Sheriff Ron Puckett. "We want to partner with them, and we've done that for many, many years. So, having the opportunity to do that again this year is a great reward for us." Interim Decatur Police Chief Nadis Carlisle said fundraising is just one of the good things that comes from the Torch Run. "It means that we get to celebrate those who may be challenged somewhat," he said. "We give them things to do; we give them sports." — or 256-340-2460.
