PALM COAST Fla.-- Hundreds of miles won't get in the way of one Palm Coast man and his team of teens determined to help more than 20 devastated families in Newtown Connecticut.
"When I saw those innocent children slaughtered like that, something had to be done," said Jack Howell, President of Teens-In-Flight, a not-for-profit flight school for high school students.
Howell is assisting the best way he knows how; by flying to the rescue. With the students in his program, he is raising money for the children who tragically lost their lives far too soon.
"Immediately, for the families my concern was the expenses that these families may incur," said Howell.
Howell hopes to raise at least $10,000 with Teens-In-Flight, then have one of his students fly all the way to Newtown, delivering a check directly to parents whose children perished. Howell says he needs all the help he can get.
"Anything," he said. "Pennies add up to quarters, quarters add up to dollars, dollars add up to big bucks so we're ready to accept anything for someone to open their hearts to give."
It's the kind of pain no parent should ever have to experience, and a kind of hurt Howell knows no money can heal, but he hopes the funds raised here in North Florida show support and can take a small weight off Newtown families' shoulders.
"What we want to do is to show the folks in Newtown that our area here in Florida is as concerned as any other area in the nation," he said. "It could have easily happened here."
If you'd like to donate to Teens-In-Flight's cause for Sandy Hook Elementary victims, please send a check to:
"Teens-In-Flight (CT)"
23 Felwood Lane
Palm Coast, FL 32137.
