FREE Helicopter Flights for Girls and Women Coming to Abbotsford October 5th & 6th
If you’re a girl or a woman who has never taken a flight on a helicopter, your chance is just around the corner. Don’t miss The Sky’s No Limit – Girls Fly Too! (GF2) event on October 5th & 6th, 2019 in Abbotsford, BC!
GF2 is a high-profile international event which involves participation by numerous agencies and groups, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Coast Guard, local and international search and rescue organizations, first responders, as well as the Canadian and US Armed Forces. The purpose of the event, which is open to everyone, is to advance gender and cultural diversity in the high-tech STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields of Aviation, Aerospace, Marine, and Defence.
Heritage of Leadership by Women
At The Flag Shop, we take pride in our heritage of strong leadership by women beginning in 1975. Doreen Braverman founded the company, starting the first full-service flag store in the world. Then, in 2010, Susan Braverman bought the company and became its President. For nearly 45 years, The Flag Shop has given countless opportunities to women to grow and thrive.
The Achieve Anything Foundation is the driving force behind GF2, and its mission is to “inspire female future leaders in STEM, from the shop floor to the top floor.” We recently learned they were in urgent need of an 800 square foot Canada flag. For Susan, donating the flag was an easy decision, and the right thing to do. She said, “When I heard about the GF2 event, I knew right away that I wanted to help! The work of the foundation in advancing opportunities for girls and women is incredible and it will have lasting impacts on gender diversity for future generations.” She added, “I was raised in a household of powerful women and I was taught by example that there are no limits to what can be achieved by any child. Dreaming big dreams is where it all starts and every child, regardless of gender, deserves the same opportunities to realize their dreams.”
Flying and the Canadian Flag
The giant, made-in-Vancouver flag will be part of a spectacular flag drop, presented by the Wings of Blue, during the opening ceremony. Representing the US Air Force, Wings of Blue are national and world skydiving champions who perform precision parachuting demonstrations. Every year, they conduct an astonishing 19,000 training jumps, and they award 700 jump wings to students of the United States Air Force Academy.
Kirsten Brazier is the Founder and President of GF2, which began in 2012. More than 67,000 people have attended GF2 over the years, with nearly 9,200 girls and women experiencing their first-ever helicopter flight. As a professional pilot for the last 25 years, licensed to fly throughout North America, Kirsten is among the 6% of women pilots in the male-dominated profession. According to Kirsten, this statistic has not changed since she first became a pilot. She has been a tireless advocate for advancing gender diversity in high-tech STEM fields in hopes to make lasting changes to the tech landscape. Kirsten said, “We are grateful beyond words for the generous donation by The Flag Shop, which allows us to proudly express our national pride on the world stage!” She added, “The flag drop will be attended by Canadian and US dignitaries, along with thousands of proud Canadian and American citizens. And, there is no more meaningful way to appropriately express our national pride than to display our flag, in all its glory, alongside the US flag.”
Power in Experience
The power and far-reaching effects of this event are in the hands-on experiences that are available to those who attend. From helicopter flights, to exploring the inside of a warship or plane, there will be something for everyone. As if that were not enough, this year’s event honours the United Nations International Day of the Girl, which since 2012, has been observed every year on October 11th. For more information about GF2, or to attend, please visit the GF2 official website at: https://www.girlsfly2.ca/. No registration is required, and event admission and parking are free of charge.
Unique volunteer opportunities can also be found at: https://www.girlsfly2.ca/volunteer.html, and will include meeting NASA Astronaut, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper, as well as a complimentary meal to thank volunteers for their (fun) hard work!
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