MEDFORD (OREGON HAH. TRIBUNE WINE MERCY ANNIVERSARY Sunday. January if. 1952 , FLIGHTS SECOND come in and these, together with payments for the flights, kept the organization going. , Funds Get Low But by February, 1951, the board of directors again was faced with financial problems, and in difficulty in obtaining repair parts. The plane needed a complete overhaul, at a cost of some $800 for parts, and again appeals went out to service clubs for 'still more contributions to keep the plane in service. By late April and early May, however, it was evident that the service could not continue on the same basis. The beginning of the third phase of Mercy Flights' history began in May. It was then that George Milligan, founder and chairman of the organization, approached the directors with the suggestion of selling prepaid subscriptions. After consideration, they Air Ambulance Plan Now on Sound Basis After Ups and Downs Last Monday, Mercy Flight! passed its second anniversary of service to the people of Jackson county. This is a progress report on how the organization has done in the past two years. . First, for the benefit of newcomers, let's answer the question, "Just what is Mercy Flights?" ,. ' Mercy Flights, Inc., is a non-profit corporation which, was organized for the sole purpose of providing rapid air transportation in medical emergencies. It was organized and carried on by a group of citizens who have nothing to gain but the knowledge that U is helping to save lives. It is the only organization of its type In the world. Carried 43 Patients Since It Was Organised Since its first plane was . placed in service on January 21, 1950, it has carried 43 patients and in addition has arranged with the Air Force and with commercial air ambulance operators, for the transportation of a number of others. Members of the board of directors -and the pilots who volunteer their services for Mercy Flights met in observance of the anniversary at the Rogue Valley Country dub last week. During the discussions and "bull sessions" concerning the service, it became apparent that the history of the organization can be divided into four phases. Period of Planning The first was the period of ideas, planning and fund-raising. This began in August, 1949, and continued until the first plane was placed in service two years ago. . The story of this period is a story of cooperation and assistance in putting over an idea. It was the time when the pennies and nickels of school children and the dimes and dollars of adults were contributed to make possible the purchase of an air ambulance. A number of civic organizations gave notable service in conducting information cam paigns and fund-raising activities. The idea progressed slowly, but by Christmas that year, it was evident the fund-raising drive was going to be successful. The corporation, which was formally organized in September, gave its approval to the purchase of a second-hand twin-engine Cessna ambulance plane. The price, paid entirely - from voluntary donations, was slightly more than $3,000. ; Placed la Service The beginning of the. second phase was when the plane was overhauled and first placed in service. The first call for its use came about a month later, on Feb. 28, 1950, when a Med-ford woman was taken to Port land for an emergency operation. During the year following the number of patients carried averaged two each month. Some of the trips were dramatic in' cidents of lives saved by rapid transportation in difficult flights af all times and in all weather, against difficulties. These have been reported in this newspaper as they occurred, and some of them have gained even broader circulation through larger papers and national magazines. During this period charges were based on the bare cost of operation for residents of the county, and the non-profit firm was building up no backlog of operation and maintenance funds. Expenses arose in keep ing the plane in top shape and the treasury became sadly depleted. A few donations continued to 7 , . NEW PLANE IN SERVICE The new Stinson Reliant airplane purchased last month by Mercy Flights non-profit air ambu lance service is shown in the picture above. With two planes, the service has been enabled to broaden its. area of service to seven counties in southern Oregon and northern California, retaining one plane for possible emergency use at all times. The Stinson also will be useful on smaller mountainous airstrips where the bigger Cessna could not safely take off. whether or not it would work, but it was a chance. And they were ready to try anything which- woud keep the service which they felt was vitally important in operation. The prepaid plan clicked. More than 500 family one-year prepaid subscriptions, at $2 each, came in by the end of May and have continued in smaller numbers ever since. The success of the plan pulled Mercy Flights out of the red and allowed it to add radio equipment which the pilots felt was necessary. The flights continued and as the word of Mercy Flights' success was spread by the, news stories about the trips and the "missionary" work of its supporters, demand grew in other areas. In addition, increasing numbers of calls for non emergency service started com ing in to the ambulance service. Jumped at it. None of them knew Decide on Second Plane By December, 1951, the bank balance had grown to a point where it was possible to reimburse the pilots for expenses in curred on their trips. To meet and to permit greater safety into short mountain airstrips or fields, it was decided to purchase a second plane. ' This was the beginning of Phase 4 of Mercy Flights' history. The second plane, a rug ged, powerful, single-engine Stinson Reliant, was purchased and placed in service. At the same time the board of directors decided to broaden the area of operations from Jackson county only to seven counties in Southern Oregon and Northern California, which previously had been served only on an emergency basis. ' Present plans call for the extension of the prepaid subscription plan throughout this area. Also, with , two planes on hand, MERCY FLIGHTS PILOTS Shown above are 6 of the 10 pilots who are on Mercy Flights list of pilots who have volunteered to fly the ambulance service's planes when needed. The picture was taken at a dinner meeting last week celebrating the second anniversary of the unique organization. From left they are Cecil Davis, of Williams and Croucher Auto Repair service; George Milligan, founder and chairman of Mercy Flights, a control tower operator; Dick Woods, treasurer of the ambulance service and chief engineer at radio station KYJC; Al Cleven, a Standard Stations employee; Bill Rosenbalm, Jr., student, and Jack Edmonds, a control tower operator. Other pilots who were, unable to attend the dinner are Harvey Brandau and Eugene Kooser, Medford's "cloud-seeding" pilots; Jim Pierce, Medford Air service cropdust-er, and Lee Flink, control tower operator. Kooser, Brandau and Pierce are all ex-Navy pilots. Iof- M SECRETARY HONORED Miss" Jeanette Thatcher, Medford attorney who has served as secretary of Mercy Flights, Inc., since it was incorporated 2Va years ago, was honored at the dinner meeting last week which celebrated the second anniversary of service, by the non-profit air ambulance group. Above" Miss Thatcher is shown receiving a model of the twin-engine Cessna ambulance plane owned by the service. Making the presentation was George Milligan, founder and chairman of Mercy Flights. it was decided to accept nonemergency calls if and when it is impossible to find a commercial carrier to accept them. The aim of the organization remains basically . unchanged. however the alleviation of hu man suffering and the saving of lives, all through the miracle of fast ambulance service through the air and rendering the service at a prepaid price anyone can afford. . Renewals of the first prepaid MERCY FIGHTS VETERAN The air ambulance plane shown above was purchased through the donations of residents of Jack-1 son county. It is the first plane ever put into service by a non-profit air ambulance service, and has served county residents on emergency ambulance flights for two years, carrying nearly 40 persons ' on missions of mercy. It is in good condition, and will be in use for several years more, although plans are already under way to purchase a metal twin-engine ship when the Cessna finally gets too old for safe service. A Jackson County Federal Loan Paid Off Our Old Fashioned Mortgage subscriptions will be coming in in a couple of months, and these together with added ones from this county and the newly-served outside areas should provide a steady source of income for the non-profit concern. Plan for New Plane This income will be budgeted to meet current operating and maintenance needs. But with Mercy Flights now on what appears to be a sound basis, the directors have another project in mind building up a pur chase fund for the modern, all-metal, twin engine plane which they must have when the Cessna gets too old for safe service. This is the extent of their ambition so far. But Mercy Flights has come a long way in two years. Who knows what might happen in the next two? WORSE THAN BULL Greenwich, Conn. (UJ3 Mary Barlint wouldn't want a bull to walk' into her china shop but she has seen worse. The bull, she says, couldn't do any more damage than when the oil burner in her store back-fired. The slight explosion caused enough vibration to destroy $10,000 worth of china and crystal. TWO IMPORTANT REMINDERS MOTHERS MARCH ON POLIO THURSDAY, JAN. 31 7 to 8 p. m. Next Thursday night, January 31, will be the climax of the Jackson County March of Dimes campaign, with mothers of Medford on a determined march to put the campaign over the top. Home-owners are urged to give en that night to leave their porch lights on between. 7 and 8 p.m. to indicate their desire to give to hare their contributions all ready so that the mothers may quickly cover their areas. YMCA Centennial Enrollment Week FREE memberships for those who successfully participate in the YMCA contest should appeal to many. Be sure to see the YMCA full page announce Today marks the opening of the YMCA Centennial Enrollment Week. This week suggests an opportunity to Medford families to make the "Y" their recreation center for fun for Morn, Pop, brother and sister. With facilities for swimming, games, square dancing and activities of all kinds, Medford's fine new YMCA provides a wealth of wholesome entertainment the year 'round at surprisingly little cost.