Wings of Hope Introduces Limited Edition Oris Watch to Media

(Oris Watch graphic)

By Carmelo Turdo

Wings of Hope hosted a group of media and retailers for a two-day visit October 11-12 at their World Headquarters at Spirit of St. Louis Airport as part of their Oris Custom Watch launch promotion first announced at the Wings of Hope Gala in June. Watch subject matter media representatives and Oris product retailers each spent a day getting familiar with the Wings of Hope mission and meeting the staff and volunteers who make Wings of Hope a leader in humanitarian aviation services. The custom watch product promotes the mission of Wings of Hope through the production of a high-quality time piece designed for flight crews and aviation enthusiasts alike.

On media day, the guests were greeted by Wings of Hope President and CEO, Bret Heinrich, who invited them to the regular staff meeting and conducted a tour of the facility. The niche media members are also seen here in a group photo with the Wings of Hope Cessna 206 and also at the arrival of the Piper Seneca with a Medical Relief and Air Transport (MAT) patient. 

Later in the afternoon, Wings of Hope Education Coordinator, Robert Powell, briefed the media representatives on the SOAR Into STEM Program held in the spring and fall each year. Here Powell shows off the glider project used in the previous session and coaches the group on how to fly the UAV (drone) through an obstacle course.

Day one concluded with an open discussion of the Oris watch line and the Wings of Hope Custom Watch, getting into the details that this media group wished to explore with the Oris company representatives. Here we feature a sample of Oris watches, another group photo and a short video of the day's activities.

On day two, Wings of Hope hosted an afternoon visit by a large group of Oris retailers. Following a briefing on the Wings of Hope mission and the Oris Custom Watch, they were treated to a detailed tour of the hangar and MAT aircraft, including the newly updated Piper Navajo and the Cessna 206.

Later in the afternoon, the retailers gathered to participate in packing meals for Kids Against Hunger, a Wings of Hope partner humanitarian organization that distributes pre-made meal packages to seventy countries. The local Missouri Valley satellite location, led by Wings of Hope avionics technician Steve Tompkin, provided the food mix and bagging stations to facilitate the operation. The meals will be delivered to Haiti as soon as arrangements for passage to that country are confirmed.

Day two wrapped up after the return of the MAT aircraft from another mission and more photos with the Cessna 206 in the hangar.