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There's an Angel on the CockpitCategory: Claudio Ponte's Blog | Permalink Published: Monday, January 11, 2010 By Claudio Ponte If you have checked out our Blog, Facebook page, or prior newsletters, you know we are always busy working with local charities. Our food pantry initiatives, our involvement with Rancho Damacitas, our service days at Oak Grove all have in common our basic rule of charitable giving: Ponte Winery limits its contributions to local children who are suffering. We leave other worthy causes (healthy children, sick adults, health research, foreign countries, etc.) to our many colleagues in wine country. Several years ago, our Marketing Manager Ragan Erickson asked if our winery would be willing to contribute some wine to Angel Flight West, a worthy cause involving airplanes. Ragan urged me to check them out since it is often children they are transporting. Luckily I did, and we have been supporting them for four years. Angel Flight West arranges free, non-emergency air transportation to patients and their families who cannot afford it, using a network of 1,900 pilots who volunteer their time and their aircraft. Each mission averages $400 in out-of pocket costs, all donated by the pilot. Since the founding of Angel Flight West in 1983, their generous pilots have flown 40,000 missions! One mission that touched my heart in particular was Taylor's story. As an infant, Taylor was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer that affects the retina of the eye. By the time she was two years old, the doctors urged her family to begin treatment. The best treatment available was at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, quite the distance from Saratoga Springs, Utah where her family resided. In addition to the distance and financial burden these frequent treatments would cost, it was essential that Taylor not be exposed to any germs or viruses after the treatment was complete -- so traveling through airports or sitting on a commercial jet with 200 other passengers was not an option.
Taylor's family came across Angel Flight West while searching for options online. In a thank you note to the pilot and organization, Taylor's father wrote: "You've done so much more than provide transportation; you've given us the life of our daughter!" I am proud to personally contribute financially to this very worthy cause, in addition to serving Ponte wine at their fundraisers. For more information about Angel Flight West, visit their website at www.angelflightwest.org.
Posted by: Joanne Wells/Grandma Jo
Monday, January 11, 2010 @ 3:35:00 PM As an old "retired" stewardess, and having once upon a LONG time ago soloed a single engine Cessna 150, my heart has always been drawn to angels, children, and of course the kindness and generosity of pilots who love their work and the sky - getting little and big people the help they need. Bless you all! (Also, I serve wine tastes at Ponte on Sat. & Sun. - come see me) Hugs, Grandma Jo Post a CommentOther Recent ArticlesOnce upon a time in a city called Pittsburgh, there lived a blogger. B (“Blogger”) loved Pittsburgh, for it offered all sorts of things she liked: festivals, lots of lovely restaurants and friendly people. Valued Wine Club Members: We want you to continuously receive exceptional treatment and service each and every time you visit us. After enjoying a delicious bottle of your favorite Ponte wine at home, what do you do with the bottle? The first time I saw zucchini blossoms at the farmers market I thought they were pretty. Tomatoes: What are those Red Things I’ve Been Eating?Category: Sustainability Published: Saturday, July 17, 2010 It’s true. I am amazed at how simple it is to grow big, out-of-this-world, delicious tomatoes. |
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About this Page: Nestled away in the heart of Temecula Wine Country, you will find the Ponte Family Estate Winery, Southern California’s premier winery destination. Through an exclusive winery market atmosphere, Ponte Winery offers its visitors wine tasting, fine wine country cuisine dining at the Smokehouse Restaurant, weddings set with a serene view of the Temecula, California Wine Country mountains, as well as an all inclusive Ponte Wine Club.