YOUR AIRPORT & SEA ISLAND COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
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JUNE 2012
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Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Airways arrives
travel talk:
Kennedy Space Centre celebrates 50th anniversary
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airlines:
WestJet’s unaccompanied minor program
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aviation news:
YVR welcomed Virgin Atlantic Airways’ inaugural flight from London Heathrow Airport last month as part of an airport-wide celebration of all things British. Virgin’s A340-300 arrived at YVR for the first time on May 24 with true fanfare as hoards of local and U.K. media captured images of Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson posing at the backdoor of the aircraft with Olympic gold-medal athlete Amy Williams. Later, Branson and Virgin Atlantic were officially welcomed to YVR by Vancouver Airport Authority president and CEO Larry Berg, and B.C. Premier Christy Clark. The new service, which will operate four times a week throughout the summer until the end of October, marks the first time in a decade that Virgin Atlantic
See VIRGIN ATLANTIC page 3
Harbour Air/Westcoast Air acquires Whistler Air PG
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events:
Pitt Meadows Airport Days PG
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restaurant guide:
Breakfast, lunch, dinner PG
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Virgin Atlantic Airways arrived at YVR last month in true Richard Branson-style as the Sir himself posed aboard the aircraft with Olympic athlete Amy Williams. The new service operates four times a week until the end of October.
YVR Art Foundation announces scholarship winners for 2012 YVR Art Foundation’s annual scholarship program, which supports young, emerging Aboriginal artists in British Columbia, has announced its 2012 award recipients. Six Aboriginal artists received the $5,000 award at a ceremony held last month at Vancouver International Airport’s Graham Clarke Atrium. In addition to the monetary gift, each artist also works under the guidance of a mentor or participates in a program to produce a piece of art that will be displayed at YVR for a full year. Founded in 1994 by Airport Airport Authority, YVR Art Foundation fosters the development of First Nations art in British Columbia. Since 2004, it has given more than $180,000 in scholarships to young artists. The scholarships and
Recipients of YVR Art Foundation’s annual scholarship were celebrated last month at a special reception.
subsequent support helps winning artists complete a work for display, as well as interact with the media and public to help ensure the next generation of thriving First Nations art traditions in the province. The 2012 award recipients, and their nations, are: • Ariane Medley (22), Haida • Danielle Morsette (24), Sto:lo • Raven LeBlanc Pearson
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(21), Haida • Nathan Wilson (25), Haisla • Cody Lecoy (21), Penticton/Esquimalt • Cori Savard (26), Haida Housing the largest private collection of Northwest Coast native art in North America, YVR is proud to celebrate its local heritage and culture every day. For more information on the YVR Art Foundation, visit yvraf.com.
Pulling together to reduce childhood blindness “Pulling their weight” took on a whole new meaning at YVR on May 27 when 15 teams competed to pull a Boeing 757 cargo aircraft across 3.65 metres of tarmac in the shortest time. The Pull for Sight event, a fundraiser for ORBIS Canada, raises awareness and funds for the ORBIS Kids Sight Program, which works to eliminate blindness in children in developing countries.
More than 600 people attended the event, hosted by FedEx, with 15 teams from around the Lower Mainland competing for the best time. Thousands of dollars were raised for ORBIS to help it establish new facilities and/or support existing facilities in developing world locations such as Ethiopia, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Peru and China.
See PULLING TOGETHER page 3
Fifteen teams from across the Lower Mainland took part in the ORBIS Pull for Sight event at YVR on May 27. Hosted by FedEX, the annual event saw teams compete to pull a Boeing 757 cargo aircraft across 3.65 metres of tarmac.
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