ELITE SKYDIVERS PUSH PERSONAL LIMITS AND THE BOUNDARIES OF PHYSICS TO INSPIRE CHILDREN
Project XRW Achieves World’s Largest Mixed Flock of Wingsuits and Parachutes
For more information contact: Eli Bolotin – eli@raisethesky.org or Taya Weiss – taya@raisethesky.org, +1 (617) 824-0514
29 January, 2012
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A team of the world’s best skydivers arrived at Skydive Dubai this week to push the boundaries of human flight and change lives. Raise the Sky, a non-profit organization that connects skydivers to humanitarian and charitable outreach, organizes Project XRW (eXtreme Relative Work) in which high-performance parachute pilots and wingsuit skydivers in freefall interact in the air.
Cutting edge wingsuits slow freefall speeds, and small, aerodynamic parachutes accelerate their pilots’ descent speeds without compromising safety, allowing this stunning achievement. Special GPS units from Project XRW sponsor FlySight aid in data collection that quantifies these developments. They can fly together, have a conversation, and even link up for extended periods. The team’s main goal was to complete the largest ever mixed wingsuit-canopy “flock”. That goal was achieved with an 11-person formation, five parachutes and six wingsuit pilots flying together over the Palm Jumeirah, one of Dubai’s most famous and recognized landmarks.
Skydive Dubai’s generous sponsorship of this Project aims to raise awareness and funds for Raise the Sky’s Flying Dreams program, which supports schools catering to underserved and low-income children. The skydivers visit the schools to talk about teamwork, facing fears, and following one’s dreams, all within the context of human flight. They also bring much-needed resources. “Every child has dreams for the future. For some, even the simplest goals can seem as impossible to attain as what we are doing here this week. Getting an education helps them to make their dreams come true,” said Taya Weiss, a Raise the Sky founder and Project XRW wingsuit pilot.
Project XRW Dubai will support the Pastoral Centre Preschool and Creche in South Africa, a secular non-profit school that provides 300 low-income children with early childhood education and basic nutritional needs. Situated in an impoverished community and working with very few resources, the teachers and staff give children a chance at development that will allow them to eventually graduate from high school and contribute to the upliftment of their families.
Raise the Sky thanks our generous sponsors, Skydive Dubai and the Habtoor Grand Beach Resort and Spa.
Project XRW and our entire team extends a special and heartfelt thank you to His Highness, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum for his visionary support of sport skydiving.
For more, visit www.facebook.com/raisethesky and www.raisethesky.org/flyingdreams
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Taya and Eli with the Mayor of Portland, Maine
Today we attended the Portland Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Event in Portland, Maine. Eli, Jason Fogg of Skydive New England, and me were excited to hand over our donation from the Skydive New England (SNE) fundraiser in August. The dropzone donated a portion of every tandem skydive and tandem video for the weekend, and there were several prize draws for both fun jumpers and visitors. Our check also encompassed a very special donation from SNE staff members Tony and Kelly Hays.
When planning a fundraiser, we often have no idea exactly whose lives we are going to touch. During the weekend of our event, Kelly came up to me on the packing mat at the dropzone and gave me a hug. Until that moment, I had no idea that her mother is a breast cancer survivor, or what she and her family went through. I asked her if she would take some time out after the weekend to tell me her story, and she agreed. As human beings, and within our skydiving communities, one of the most important things we can do is bear witness to each other’s struggles and celebrate the triumphs that come after adversity. This is Kelly’s story.
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Fundraiser for Portland Making Strides Against Breast Cancer August 20-21, 2011
July 21st, 2011
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Raise the Sky and Skydive New England Present:
*Jamboree for Jugs*
Join us at New England’s premier skydiving resort for a weekend of fun to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society’s Portland Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.
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