Please join us in offering a warm welcome to Ken Mist, the new volunteer coordinator for the CAF Red Tail Squadron! Mist recently retired after 36 years with a global logistics company and is now graciously volunteering his time to help fulfill the Squadron’s mission!
To say Ken is an aviation enthusiast would be an understatement. Just check out his amazing photography to see for yourself. For years he has been working at air shows, first as a volunteer and then as chairman of the organizing committee for a static show in support of the Canadian Air & Space Museum.
“The camera came out and never went away,” said Mist. “I love to capture the feel of the air shows and aviation museums – the excitement, the people and of course the airplanes. I’m happy when someone likes my work and says it sparks a memory or emotion.”
Mist has been a supporter of the CAF Red Tail Squadron since 2012, after visiting the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit at an event in Dayton, Ohio. He had seen our P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen at prior events, and knew Squadron pilot Bill Shepard. “The message of RISE ABOVE and the dedication of the squadron members is inspiring,” he says. “I am excited to play any part in sharing the story with today’s generation.”
Are you interested in volunteering with the Squadron? If so, we want to hear from you! Whether you can commit to volunteering for an extended period of time on the road (for example, a two-week tour through a particular geographic region) or are able to meet us in your hometown for a specific event, we are looking for volunteer participation in one or more of the following areas:
– Setting up and tearing down the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit, a state of the art 53-foot trailer that expands to create a 30-seat theatre with a 160-degree panoramic screen.
– Assisting in the registration of school groups and individuals to participate in the exhibit to see the free movie.
– Telling the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and how their courage and dedication resonates in today’s world.
– Working with our staff to make sure that our VIPs are comfortable, at times including original Tuskegee Airmen themselves.
If you would like to be considered for this incredible opportunity – and help preserve the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and inspire audiences across the country – contact us with your questions at 888-928-0188 or volunteer@redtail.org, or go online to submit a volunteer application form!
“This is an incredible opportunity to share the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and spread the RISE ABOVE principles to today’s youth. The message is more important now than ever,” said Mist. “The Greatest Generation could have no better representation than these Airmen and we owe it to all of them to carry their courage and dedication forward. As their numbers dwindle the torch must be passed on!”
RISE ABOVE!
The CAF Red Tail Squadron is a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to educating audiences across the country about the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, America’s first black military pilots and their support personnel. Learn more at www.redtail.org.
