About GWAO
Since 1989 GWAO has raised nearly $1.6 million dollars for charity. That makes even a cool aviator crack a smile!
The Greater Washington Aviation Open (GWAO) is the largest aviation charity event in Washington, DC. It has attracted thousands of aviation, defense, and government leaders from all across the country and the world for over two decades.
The GWAO charity golf and tennis tournaments started in 1989 with the support of a few aviation associations, primarily, the Airport Consultants Council, the Air Line Pilots Association, the Air Transport Association, and the National Business Aircraft Association. The purpose of the tournament was to bring the aviation community together to enjoy a day out of the office, with fellow aviation industry leaders and friends, and to donate the proceeds from the event to a worthy cause.
In 1989, the GWAO was honored to have US Senator Wendell Ford as its Honorary Chairman and the tournament proceeds of $7,500 went to Kentucky Educational Television for nationwide General Education Degree (GED) programming. The tournament at Manor Country Club in Maryland drew a very good crowd including then US DOT Secretary Sam Skinner.
Since the first tournament the GWAO has moved to its fourth location primarily due to the size and growth of the event. The golf tournament is now played on two 18-hole courses at the beautiful Lansdowne Resort in Virginia. The tennis tournament was dropped in 2008 to put the focus clearly on golf and an all-weather event.
The charities receiving the tournament proceeds varied over the first four years. However, the GWAO soon settled on the Corporate Angel Network (CAN) as a perfect match because of its size and mission. CAN was started by three people in Westchester, NY and from very humble beginnings they have grown considerably with the financial assistance of the GWAO. Their mission to fly cancer patients on the empty seats of business aircraft to treatment facilities across the country has expanded to over 500 member companies and the transportation of 3,000 cancer patients a year. The GWAO is proud of its long and historic relationship with CAN and their volunteers.
Starting in 2006 the GWAO started a scholarship at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia. This is the high school featured in the award winning movie, “Home of the Titans.” The school has students attending from over 80 countries around the world. Their dependence upon aviation to be with family and friends is well known by these well traveled students. The GWAO has sponsored a scholarship for a student entering college in an aviation degree program. It is a four-year scholarship that requires the student to maintain a B-average.
This year the GWAO expanded its beneficiaries to include the Veterans Airlift Command. VAC provides free air transportation to wounded veterans and their families for medical and other compassionate purposes, through a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots. VAC’s priority is veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The GWAO features a live auction following the golf tournament and Victory Reception. The airline tickets, hotel/resort packages, and prizes are second to none and serve to generate almost half of the tournament proceeds. The GWAO has enjoyed tremendous support from several major aviation and defense companies over the years and we welcome new sponsors.
The Greater Washington Aviation Open is very proud to have raised almost $1.7 million for deserving charities and the people they serve. In the spirit of the tournament’s founders and Board of Directors, we look forward to welcoming you to a wonderful day of camaraderie with your friends and peers, “Fore a great time…Fore a great cause.”Honorary Chairs2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 |
Tournament CommitteePaul Bollinger Pete West Don Skiados Jeff Lehman Mary Miller Ed Hazelwood Tim Letzkus John Provenzano Steve Martin Dick DeiTos Lisa Piccione Darby Becker |
