Community Corner
Fred Beans Flies Special Olympians to Games in New Jersey
Every six minutes, a Cessna aircraft was scheduled to land at Mercer County Airport in Trenton to transport more than 1,000 athletes to the games.
On Saturday, June 14, Fred Beans participated with 200 aircraft owners and pilots who gave a “lift” to athletes and coaches for the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games in New Jersey June 14-21.
Every six minutes, a Cessna aircraft was scheduled to land at Mercer County Airport in Trenton to transfer more than 1,000 athletes and coaches from across the nation to the games, held this year at Princeton, Rider University and other schools and facilities in the area.
This was the second time Beans and his corporate co-pilot, Eric Smith, have participated in the Cessna Special Olympics Airlift.
“It’s a wonderful feeling, to be helping these athletes get to the games,” says Beans. “I can’t think of a better way to use my passion for flying than to give them a chance to experience their own passion for sports in the pure and joyous competitive atmosphere of the games.”
The Special Olympics expected to draw 3,500 athletes from across the United States, 1,000 coaches and delegates, 10,000 volunteers and 70,000 spectators and families.
