History of the
Forest
Canadian Inductees
***********************************************
Photo Gallery - Joy Parker Blackwood's induction
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joy arrives in Atkinson in style |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joy and friends at Amelia Earhart airport |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dorothy flies with Amelia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joy's turn to be inducted |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A proud Billy Ray with Joy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tribute to the Columbia crew |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Photo gallery - Earlier inductions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Felicity with Faye Wells Gillis |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Felicity accepts Vi Milstead's induction certificate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin Psutka, Felicity and Vicky - for Margaret Carson's induction |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Suzanne Pettigrew with Amelia and friends |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Suzanne Pettigrew with Faye, at Dave / Julie's induction |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Felicity with Vi Milstead |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
***********************************************
History
The International Forest of
Friendship was a gift to America on her 200th birthday (1976) from
the City of Atchison, Kansas and The Ninety-Nines. Atchison is the
birthplace of Amelia Earhart, first president of the Ninety-Nines,
and is now owned by the Ninety-Nines and has been dedicated and
opened to the public as a museum.
The Forest overlooking Lake
Warnock, on the outskirts of Atchison, is made up with trees from
all fifty states and thirty-five countries where Honorees reside.
Each tree has its own flag, and on special occasions, the Forest is
ablaze with the brilliance of colours of more than 100 flags blowing
in the breeze.
There are trees from George
Washington's Mount Vernon Estate, the Bicentennial American Spruce,
a tree from Amelia's grandfather's farm, a redbud from President
Eisenhower's farm, and the Moon Tree grown from a seed taken to the
moon by Command Pilot Stuart Roosa on Apollo 14. This latter tree
honours the ten astronauts who gave their lives in America's
pioneering of space exploration. Their names are enshrined around
the tree and the names of the living astronauts are put in a
protective outer circle.
Winding through the Forest is
Memory Lane, honouring those who have or still are contributing to
all facets of aviation and aerospace. It is a five foot wide (wheel
chair friendly) walk and has embedded in the concrete walk, granite
plaques engraved with the names of over 700 Honorees. Included in
this illustrious list are markers memorializing, such aviation
notables as Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, Jeana Yeager, Rajiv
Gandhi, the Wright Brothers, Sally Ride, Chuck Yeager, Capt. Marc
Garneau, Beryl Markham, General "Jimmy" Doolittle, President George
Bush, General Colin Powell, and Lt Col Eileen M. Collins, the first
woman to pilot a shuttle (Discovery) into space. In 1976, Secretary
of the Interior, Kleppe, dedicated Memory Lane as the first National
Recreation Trail in Kansas.
From its inception, the
International Forest of Friendship was founded and lead by Fay
Gillis Wells and Joe Carrigan. Fay Wells is one of the Charter
members of the Ninety-Nines and has been honoured for her great
interest and support of aviation and as an outstanding journalist.
In 1991, a beautiful gazebo was dedicated to Fay Wells, in honour of
her leadership to the Forest, and paid for by her many friends
throughout the World.
It is a wonderful and peaceful
respite from the many businesses and pressures of every day living.
It is a place of reflection and rededication. It is a place of
communication to and from God. It is the INTERNATIONAL FOREST OF
FRIENDSHIP
(the above write-up is borrowed
from the Intl HQ webpage)
**********************************************************
Memories from attending the 2000 Forest of
Friendship, by Suzanne Pettigrew: "(It
was a) Great gathering of aviation enthusiasts, from early aviation
pioneers, WASP, avid 99s to women airline captain ( also members of
ISA+21). We visited Amelia Earhart birthplace home and museum in
Atchison, as well as the Ball Bros. Drugstore for a chocolate soda,
just like the tradition Betty Gillis started 50 years ago. I drove
down to the Airport with her grand-daughter Glen, herself a 99s and
fixed wing and helicopter pilot. I have made new friends, new
memories and a still have warm fuzzy feeling inside for having taken
part of this page of history." [See photo album]
**********************************************************
Some
Canadian Honorees include:
2003: Joy Parker Blackwood
2001: Margaret Carson and Vi Milstead [See
photo album]
2000: Julie Payette and Dave Williams [See
photo album
1999:
Dorothy Rungeling
1998:
Dee
Brasseur
1996: Adele Fogel, Margo
McCutcheon, Daphne Schiff
1993: Felicity McKendry
1990: Hilda (Devereau) Mickle
1989: Marion Orr
1988:
Rosella Bjornson
1987: Barbara Brotherton, Grant
McConachie & John Schemerhorn
1986: Russell Beach
1985: Dr. Roberta Bondar, Captain
Marc Garneau & Betty Jane Schemerhorn
1979: Edith Denney
