Avoca, PA (December 6, 2024) – An American Airlines flight this upcoming Saturday morning will transport two families from the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton International Airport (AVP) to Orlando International Airport (MCO) via Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) on behalf of the Gary Sinise Foundation Snowball Express Program.
The Gary Sinise Foundation (GSF) Snowball Express serves the surviving spouse/guardian and children of fallen Military and First Responder heroes. They are committed to year-round programming and support for families that honors their fallen hero, encourages them to make new memories, and provide opportunities to connect with others who know what they’ve been through.
Team AVP partner American Airlines, which is the official airline partner of the Snowball Express Program, is honored to be able to participate in this great event at AVP for the third consecutive year.
These two families from Northeastern Pennsylvania will be given a small reception, as well as an honor guard to the airline gate, and a tribute to their families before boarding the aircraft.
This December, families of fallen military & first responder heroes will be flown to Orlando, FL from cities across the country, to attend a five-day national gathering of other families who have lost a loved one in the military. This event is provided at no cost to these families. All costs are covered by GSF and their incredible partners.
American Airlines is the official airline sponsor of GSF and is donating 26 charter flights this year. Thousands of American Airlines employees have donated their time to work as flight crews, ground teams, gate agents and family coordinators. While GSF has tremendous in-kind support from American Airlines and other corporations, there is also a significant financial cost associated with gathering these families together for the five-day event.
The Gary Sinise Foundation works year-round to provide events for these families that all them to connect with other families, make new memories and honor their fallen hero. Through their Snowball Express program, GSF has provided this experience for several thousand children over the years, and this year, they will host more than 2,200 attendees from 50 states and several countries.
About AVP
AVP currently offers travelers approximately 30 daily arrivals and departures, which includes non-stop flights to multiple destinations, with one-stop service to hundreds of destinations worldwide. AVP and their airline partners have added six (6) additional destinations in 2024! Air service is provided by the following airlines: American (Charlotte, Chicago-O’Hare, and Philadelphia; Breeze (Fort Myers, Myrtle Beach, Orlando and Tampa); and United (Chicago-O’Hare and Washington-Dulles. For more information, call 1-877-2FLYAVP (235-9287), visit flyAVP.com, follow @flyAVP on Twitter and flyAVP_ on Instagram, connect with us on Facebook, or download the flyAVP app from the Apple Store or Google Play.
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