LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Buchan Airport celebrates top-flight scholars

 To the Editor:

After a record attendance of nearly two thousand people during last year’s 15th annual Buchan Fly-In, the Scholarship Committee decided to move ahead and award three well-deserved aviation scholarships. In spite of the inability to hold the Fly-In this year since the airport was under storm restoration by Sarasota County, the 74-year-old public airport nevertheless remains a valuable Englewood lifeline in a hurricane or any other time.

 Leah Bartlett, a graduate of Venice High School, will attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and will be seeking an aerospace/engineering degree. Skye van Gennip hopes to become an airline pilot. She too graduated from Venice H.S. and will join Leah at Embry-Riddle University. Skye has also been attending Venice Flight Training since January 2023. Christopher Hutchins is also a Venice graduate who obtained his private pilot’s license last November. He will be attending Oklahoma State University in the fall and hopes to earn a degree in aviation Management and eventually join an airline.

 Thanks to our many sponsors, volunteers, parents and the Englewood/Venice community and a special thank you to our Scholarship Chair, Kim Deins.

 The next Fly-In is March 2, 2024.

 Dan & Stephanie Harrison

 Englewood