Five Great Bend Pilot club members attended, the 95th Pilot International Convention in Montreal, Canada. Attending were club President Sally O’Connor, Great Bend Pilot; Kansas – Missouri District Governor Renee Johnson; member Mary Cramer; Janice Walker; and Betty Schneider. They joined more than 620 Pilots who participated in the global event that drew representatives from more than four countries and geographic areas around the world.
According to KS-MO Governor Renee Johnson, “After have attended many Pilot International conventions over the last two decades I found this Montreal convention inspiring and dynamic and very much in keeping with our international organizational mission showing us how to influence positive change in our communities at home.”
Convention highlights included a Flag Ceremony with Pilots from around the world, some in native dress, who marched along with their country’s flag. Attendees also heard a keynote speech from Giovanni Gaudelli.
Additionally, convention attendees attended workshops, learned about important issues facing communities globally, elected international officers, voted on the 2016-2017 Pilot International Budget and helped set the future direction for Pilot International.
“It was exciting to gather with so many Pilots from other countries. It’s a great reminder that Pilots are not only making a difference in our local communities, but also around the world,” said Sally O’Connor, Great Bend Pilot President.
Locally, Pilot club members make an impact in the community through service and involvement in Projects like the Brain Minders program for pre-schools, sponsorship of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, giving support and learning tools to Sunflower diversified early child development, providing stuffed Dalmatian puppy’s to the Great Bend fire department for children when distressed and in time of crisis, supplying car booster seats and bike helmets to youth in our community, to just name a few.
The Great Bend Pilot club has 35 members locally and meets on the first and third Tuesdays each month at the Classic Inn. Pilot clubs are groups of men and women that identify needs within their communities and work together to fulfill those needs. For more information or to get involved with the Great Bend Pilot Club, contact Rhonda Knudson at 620-792-3643 or rknudson@amfam.com.