World Pediatric Project brought its wildly successful, fun & unique Rock ‘n’ Heal event from Richmond, Va. to St. Louis at the new Jet Linx private jet terminal and hangar. Over 300 members of the St. Louis community gathered to help raise funds for World Pediatric Project’s surgical and diagnostic teams, while enjoying the beautiful setting of the well-staged hangar and the music of the Diamond Empire Band. Displays from Tesla, Cessna and Hawker, along with food from local restaurants, set the scene for a great night for a good cause.

“It’s so important to all of us at Jet Linx to support worthy organizations like World Pediatric Project,” said Rich Ropp, Jet Linx St. Louis Base President. “This organization has a huge impact, sending highly trained pediatric specialists to provide critical care services to patients in the Caribbean and Central America. We’re proud to host World Pediatric Project at Jet Linx St. Louis, and pleased to report that the event raised over $67,000 to provide much-needed health services.”

World Pediatric Project’s prevention programs focus on reducing birth defects and preventable diseases by developing health education programs with healthcare providers in each country served. The group also coordinates care for children through programs based in the United States and abroad. Currently, ninety percent of the world’s population has access to only 10 percent of the world’s health resources – and World Pediatric Project is working to change that by partnering with local healthcare providers in the Caribbean and Central America, helping develop programs and providing resources.

Learn more about World Pediatric Project on their website.

Pictured: Jet Linx St. Louis Base President Rich Ropp (second from left) with his wife and friends Retired Col. Robert & Mary Leeker.

Jet Linx Atlanta hosted the Scrubs Party, benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and The Center for Safe and Healthy Children. The Scrubs Party is organized by CHOA’s Emerging Leaders Committee, or ELC. Barbarella Diaz, Executive VP of Community Affairs for Diaz Foods in Atlanta, has served on the committee since its founding four years ago. “I have always had a passion for children’s issues in the areas of health and education,” she said. “When Stephanie Blank called me to tell me about this group she was putting together, I thought it was the perfect opportunity. I had toured the NICU at Egleston a couple of years before and was thrilled to join the group and help this amazing hospital in a meaningful way.” The ELC is made up of rising business professionals and community volunteers in their 30s to early 40s.

Jet Linx Atlanta was proud to host such a meaningful event. “I just can’t think of a more important cause than supporting and helping facilitate events that raise awareness and money for childhood health,” said Ron Smith, Jet Linx Atlanta Base President.

This year’s Scrubs Party benefited The Center for Safe and Healthy Children, a comprehensive child maltreatment program at Children’s. The gala provided a three-year fellowship in child abuse pediatrics. The center provides clinical services for abused, exploited and neglected children throughout the state, which is in desperate need of assistance: only five physicians in Georgia provide ‘substantial time’ to abused children; four of them work at Emory and CHOA at the Center for Safe and Healthy Children. Every year, more than 91,000 incidents of child abuse or neglect are reported annually in Georgia alone.

In 2014, nearly 470 people attended the inaugural Scrubs Party, which raised more than $150,000 for the Children’s ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machines) Center. Diaz is thrilled that this year’s event was a similar success. “Our group of young business professionals has done traditional black tie events and galas time after time. Jet Linx provides a unique atmosphere and is the perfect venue for our group,” Diaz remarked.

“CHOA chose Jet Linx and I’m honored that an organization of this magnitude would consider us as a partner,” Smith said. “CHOA does amazing things to help children and their families. I’m proud that we are partners in such a worthwhile cause.

As seen on the 2015 event invitation, members of the ELC remind us, “Sometimes superheroes reside in the hearts of small children fighting big battles.” To learn more about how you can support CHOA and future Scrubs events in assisting these children, visit choa.org/scrubs.