Event Scheduled For March 8
Women in Uniform will be celebrated
at the third annual free family day on Saturday, March 8, 2008 at
the International Women's Air & Space Museum. The museum will
celebrate Women's History Month with a day of activities saluting
women aviators in uniform, from the Women Airforce Service Pilots
(WASP) of WWII to today's heroes.
Several WASP will also be on hand, to share their experiences
during the war with guests.
"This is a wonderful and rare opportunity to meet amazing women
who made sacrifices for their country during World War II," said
Toni Mullee, IWASM Executive Director.
Sarah Byrn Rickman, author of the new book, "Nancy Love &
the WASP Ferry Pilots of World War II," will speak with guests
about the program that included 1,102 women who served their
country as civilian pilots in the Army Airforce. The visiting WASP
will participate in a panel discussion, giving museum visitors the
opportunity to learn more about their experiences ferrying planes,
towing targets and instructing pilots during the war.
Guests can "Become a WASP" through a new game developed by the
museum for Family Day. IWASM will also be officially unveiling the
newest component of the permanent Women Airforce Service Pilots
exhibit at the museum. The new piece is a tribute to the 38 WASP
who lost their lives in service to the country during World War
II.
Visitors can also enjoy a series of historical character
presentations featuring famous women aviators by student actors
from Beaumont School. Weather permitting, IWASM plans to have
several airplanes on the ramp at Burke Lakefront Airport that
guests can check out and has many other aviation games and crafts
planned for museum visitors.
Also scheduled for this day is a special presentation to the
museum by NASA officials of an IWASM patch that flew on the space
shuttle Discovery in 2007 with Pam Melroy, retired Air Force
Colonel and only the second woman commander of a space shuttle.
Support for this year's event is coming from Dominion
Foundation, Continental Airlines, Cleveland Women's Journal, and
Ohio Humanities Council, a state affiliate for the National
Endowment for the Humanities. The museum is a recipient of funding
from Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.
The International Women's Air & Space Museum is located in
the Burke Lakefront Airport (BKL) terminal building, 1501 N.
Marginal Road. Museum admission is free and exhibits are open 8:00
am-8:00 pm daily.