FIRST PHOTO: Calvin Goodwin, 15, and brother, James, 9, prepare for their flight Saturday in the Day in the Sky at Watsonville Airport. Todd Guild/Register-Pajaronian SECOND PHOTO: A hot-air balloon rocks back and forth with the wind early Saturday morning at Watsonville Municipal Airport as the annual Day in the Sky event gets under way. Tarmo Hannula/Register-Pajaronian THIRD AND FOURTH PHOTOS: Danielle Ortiz, who insisted she was “13 and three-quarters,” prepares for her flight Saturday during the Day in the Sky. Todd Guild/Register-Pajaronian Todd Guild/Register-Pajaronian

On Saturday morning, a strong, chilly breeze blew in from the ocean, and while the sun shone through skies that were mostly clear of clouds, a light haze ever so slightly diminished visibility.

But that didn’t stop more than 800 people from coming out to Watsonville Airport to participate in the fourth annual Day in the Sky.

For the month leading up to the event, Brandon Arthur spoke of little else.

The 15-year-old relies on a wheelchair to get around and a keyboard voice synthesizer to communicate. His mother, Carla Miller, says he had been using the device to speak incessantly of the day.

“Up,” he’s been saying. “Up!”

The Day in the Sky, sponsored by Santa Cruz-based Shared Adventures, was an opportunity for about 175 children with disabilities to enjoy a view of Santa Cruz County normally reserved for soaring eagles.

“It’s great,” said Calvin Goodwin, 15. “Going up in the sky is like watching the world go by, and looking at the world is like looking at a model someone made.”

The volunteer pilots were all members of the Watsonville chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association. To be able to make flights, the pilots needed 200 hours of flight time and had to pass a rigorous safety check from the EAA.

“They provide the kids, and we provide the planes,” said Bill Derouchy, president of the Watsonville EAA.

The children, whose ages ranged from 8 to 17, had disabilities that ranged from cerebral palsy to Down syndrome to autism. If any of them were nervous about embarking on their trip into the sky, few were showing it. Smiles and laughter were the rule, and if fear kept anyone on the ground, it was felt by the parents.

“I’m terrified of flying,” said Jennifer Reisler, as her son, Kevin, roared into the sky. Kevin has cerebral palsy, which keeps him in a wheelchair. “But to see him so brave and excited is therapeutic for both of us, I think.”

“This is one of my favorite days,” said Michelle Faeth, a teacher in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. “It’s nice to see the kids outside of the classroom. My face hurts from grinning so much.”

Danielle Ortiz, who insisted her age was 13 and three-quarters, said she had never been a in an airplane.

“I’m so excited,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to go in a plane. Anything that takes me higher than the ground is fun for me.”

Ortiz, along with her father, mother and grandmother, made the drive from Fresno to take the flight.

Finally, Ortiz was helped from her wheelchair by her father, and took a seat in a Piper Saratoga. Then, pilot Larry Wolfsen took them into the sky.

“It’s been wonderful,” said Steve Miller, board president of Shared Adventures. “Everything is working like a charm. More families are involved, we have so many volunteers, and people are giving in so many ways.”

A team of 25 volunteers from EAA and about 15 from Shared Adventures helped with dozens of activities throughout the airport.

Additionally, about 35 pilots from EAA chapters around the state came to Watsonville to help make the day happen.

“For these kids, everything is a challenge,” said Miller. “And this is one more thing that they’ve surmounted.”

There were booths from several nonprofit organizations and informational booths displaying adaptive equipment, including walking machines.

There was also a big barbecue, with free food for nearly 800 guests, courtesy of local strawberry grower Ed Kelly.

“It was really fun,” said Ortiz after her flight. “I loved the takeoff. The feeling was the most exciting thing — the point where we took off and we knew we were going in the air.”

“I’m quite the adventurous spirit,” she added. “I love rollercoasters and spicy food.”

The event, held in its fourth year, is a creation of Dean McCully, a San Jose resident who took his autistic nephew flying once and was amazed how therapeutic the experience was for the boy. McCully contacted Shared Adventures, run by Foster Anderson of Santa Cruz, and the idea blossomed into Day in the Sky.

Anderson, who was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident when he was 17, started Shared Adventures in 1994 to offer recreational programs to other people with special needs.

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Shared Adventures also leads tours at Monterey Bay Aquarium. For information, visit www.sharedadventures.org.

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(Published in 4/21/08 edition)

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