Elgin church raising money for Haiti relief flight

An Elgin church is working with a Hanover Park pilot to fly medical supplies to earthquake ravaged Haiti.

For about a week, Mark Johnson has been trying to raise $25,000 to pay fuel costs to fly supplies in a Pilatus PC-12 corporate jet from here to Florida, then to Haiti.

While most relief has centered on Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, other areas of the country are still in dire need of help because larger planes can't land at smaller airports.

"There is still a large need for supplies in remote areas," Johnson said.

He has raised about $14,000 and hopes to hit his mark so he and pilot Ken Phlamm, owner of Travel Express Aviation at DuPage Airport in West Chicago, can fly at least three missions from Ft. Lauderdale to Haiti and back.

Johnson said he first will stop in Little Rock, Ark., to pick up about 2,000 pounds of intravenous fluids to go along with other donated medical supplies he's been able to secure.

Johnson hopes to leave sometime Saturday and will fly for as long as he has fuel.

Johnson has reached out to friends and family and his church, First United Methodist Church of Elgin. Checks with "Haiti flight" in the memo line may be sent to the church at 216 E. Highland Ave., Elgin, 60120.

Cash donations may be dropped off at Travel Express Aviation, 32W731 Tower Road, West Chicago. For more information, call (630) 584-2677.