Palmetto Cup : Poker And Pilots in Charity


4/22/2012 : POKER IN PILOTS’ CHARITY DRIVE
 
Pilots include the game in a South Carolina charity drive
 
21 pilots gathered at the Jim Hamilton-L.B. Owens Airport in Columbia Saturday for a navigation exercise with a difference – they were to spend the day flying around the state, landing at set points to pick up the components of a model aircraft before returning, assembling the models and then finishing off with a game of poker – all in aid of the American Cancer Society.
 
Despite a delay caused by fog, the mission – dubbed the Palmetto Cup – was accomplished successfully. One of the pilots, Manning Frankstone, said that the event was planned as a tribute to a much respected flight instructor, Earl Yerrick.
 
"To honor him, to raise money for cancer treatment, is important to pilots out here because Earl meant a lot to us," Frankstone told The State newspaper.
 
Throughout the day, the airport also hosted a display of current and vintage aircraft as part of the fundraiser.