FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Historic Lifesaving Flight for Erik Lindbergh

Grandson of Charles Lindbergh to Transport Lifesaving Donor Blood for Puget Sound Blood Center

AUGUST 14, 2006, SEATTLE WA — Puget Sound Blood Center is the largest volunteer organization in Washington State.  Without our volunteers, handling many of the tasks vital to keeping our community blood supply stable and safe would be nearly impossible.

Erik Lindbergh, the grandson of aviation legend Charles Lindbergh, will join the ranks of our hero volunteers this Saturday, as he embarks on his first mission with Angel Flight, an organization that provides free air transportation in response to heath care and other compelling human needs.  One of the group’s most valuable contributions is to transport lifesaving donors’ blood for Puget Sound Blood Center. 

The Blood Center, which supplies most of the blood used by hospitals and medical centers in Western Washington, holds blood drives throughout the region, including remote areas and locations from its virology and donor testing labs in Renton.  It is important that donated blood be received at the labs in a timely manner, and volunteer pilots with Angel Flight have played a vital role in making that happen.  Their efforts have made such a positive difference to area patients that the Blood Center awarded Angel Flight with its Partners in Life Volunteer Achievement Award in recognition of the service the pilots provide.

Erik Lindbergh will climb into the cockpit for his first “Angel Flight” on behalf of Puget Sound Blood Center this Saturday, August 19, 2006.  Lindbergh will transport blood received at a drive held at Sequim Community Church, 950 N 5th Avenue, Sequim.  He will be flying the same Lancair plane he flew from New York to Paris on May 2, 2002 to mark the 75th anniversary of the world’s first solo trans-Atlantic flight, flown by his grandfather, Charles Lindbergh.

• 6:30p.m., Saturday, August 19 - Lindbergh arrives at Sequim Valley Airport, 468 Dorothy Hunt Road, Sequim, 98382 for pick-up of volunteer blood.
• Around 7:15p.m., Saturday, August 19 - Lindbergh returns to Clay Lacy Aviation, 8285 Perimeter Road S, 98108, Boeing Field, Seattle to deliver the donated blood to a Puget Sound Blood Center courier. 

Any Coverage of this Event is Greatly Appreciated
The Blood Center has a long and unique tradition of blending community volunteerism, medical science and research to improve patients’ lives.  The Blood Center serves patients in more than 70 hospitals and clinics in 14 Western Washington counties with blood services, provides tissue and transplantation support to 185 hospitals across the Northwest.  For more information on Puget Sound Blood Center please see our Web site at www.psbc.org.

For more information on Erik Lindbergh’s flight to mark the 75th anniversary of his grandfather’s historic flight, visit the Charles Lindbergh, An American Aviator Web site.

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