Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Benefit Concert For Mercy Med Flight

A benefit concert will be held to raise money for Mercy Med Flight (MMF).

At this time, Mercy Med Flight is the only charitable air ambulance in the nation.

The concert will be held Saturday, July 31, at 7 p.m., at the Klipsh Auditorium in Hope.

This event is being sponsored by the gospel group Reconciled, of New Boston, Texas. The goal is to raise $3,500 so Mercy Med Flight can continue its operations.

Mercy's program consists of a group of volunteers who provide the services rendered to those without insurance coverage and/or the personal resources to pay for commercial air ambulance transportation.

MMF flies only non-ambulatory patients needing to be moved long distances.

The volunteers are the "good Samaritans of the air" and have flown 123 patients in 26 states since the operation began in Feb. 1996.

However, the need for this service is greater than MMF is capable of delivering. The operation has received more than 960 calls for help since its inception, and these services are not advertised.

For 1999, MMF's board of directors approved a budget to fly 72 patients. The air ambulance and crew can handle this, but a total of $232,000 is needed to help fund the service.

MMF is a non-profit organization, organized under the Internal Revenue Service's 501(c)(3) section for tax exemption.

Any and all donations made to MMF are tax deductible.

Groups performing at the concert include: Reconciled; Russ Carlton; Central Men's Quartet; Gospel Truth; Good Life; and the Adult Choir of Unity Baptist Church.

A drawing will be held for a hand-made full size Arkansas state flag quilt. A video presentation of the work done by MMF will be shown as well.

For more information about the concert, call Velora Haltom at (870) 777-2241, work, or 777-5832, or Jay Pollen at Unity Baptist Church at (870) 777-4078.