Editor,
On April 1, our group hosted the final of seven “Lawnchair Travel” flights in Bouchie Lake. 2019 was the fifth year that the series has been hosted in Bouchie Lake, and its success is due to the amazing commitment of the Flight Crew and the support that we receive from the community at large.
What began in 2014 as a “pilot project” that would bring people together into our hall on a winter’s eve has expanded to an annual series that many people from across the North Cariboo support and enjoy. We have many “frequent flyers” that do not miss a flight.
The activity has been branded with a logo, and passengers have come to expect a particular level of service when they fly by lawnchair with “Bouchair Air.”
All funds raised through Lawnchair Travel remains in our community to further support community initiatives that will benefit everyone.
This year was a little different in some ways to previous years. The main change was the venue.
For several reasons, the Flight Crew decided to move the runway and boarding gate from the Bouchie Lake Hall to Rocky’s General Store. What resulted closely resembled a “real flying experience,” and once we adapted to the new tarmac, the runway worked very well. Thank you to the owners and staff at Rocky’s for sponsoring the 2019 Lawnchair Travel Series and for being so accommodating and flexible.
Another thank you goes to the pilots who shared their stories with us and put together professional presentations. Without the pilots, there would be no need for “Bouchair Air” to fly. For 2019, the pilots were Joan McNaughton, Ted Traer, Wolfgang Hofmeier, Brenda Gardiner, Chris and Heather Hartridge, and Bianca Scheidt. The contribution that these people make to our community is wonderful. Through them, we were able to travel to Iceland, Everest Base Camp, along the Yellowhead Highway to Winnipeg, Easter Island, Nicaragua, and Vietnam. It is quite obvious that they spend hours on their presentations.
Finally, we would like to thank the Quesnel Cariboo Observer and especially Heather Norman, their community journalist who recently moved to the North Cariboo from the Maritimes, for the superb full-page weekly articles promoting the next flight. Community news is so important to creating strong, resilient and connected communities, and we so appreciate the space you allocated to our series.
The 2019 Lawnchair Travel Flight Crew
Friends of Bouchie-Milburn Society
Heloise Dixon-Warren (Travel Agent)
Leslie Holland (Flight Attendant)
Elaine Sterling (Boarding Pass Attendant)
Ted Traer (Flight Attendant)
Greg Sterling (Security)
Michel Robert (Aircraft Mechanic)
and
Monika Robert (Airport Custodian)
