By Tina Alvey
The Register-Herald
LEWISBURG — A Lewisburg man with a history of public service has been chosen by Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic as the organization’s regional and West Virginia Pilot of the Year.
This marks the 10th consecutive year for Cleveland Benedict to receive the highest honor for volunteer pilots in the state.
A former congressman and West Virginia commissioner of agriculture, Benedict has been a licensed pilot for over 60 years, with more than 4,000 hours at the controls. He joined Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic in the late 1990s, and last year he flew 37 missions in his Cirrus SR-20.
A nonprofit organization, Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic uses the services of volunteer pilots to provide free flights for patients in need who have appointments at distant, specialized medical centers.
Benedict modestly describes the beginning of his involvement with the organization by saying, “Just flying the countryside gets boring. I saw a bulletin board notice in an airport in Roanoke (Va.), and I gave them a call. My first flight (for Angel Flight) was from North Carolina to Chicago.”
He explains, “We’re not an ambulance service. We really can be best compared to a limousine or taxicab that carries people to their medical appointments.”
Benedict says about half of the patients he ferries to appointments are children, who are often accompanied by both parents.
“There is something special about the younger patients,” Benedict says. “A child may have a terrible illness or scar tissue from burns or even amputations, but there is never a complaint. On the contrary, these kids bring a message of hope and optimism and enthusiasm that brings a fresh perspective to my own small problems.”
Averaging about three flights per month for Angel Flight, Benedict says, “I love to fly.”
He adds, “It’s a blessing for both parties. I get to indulge my love of flying and, at the same time, provide a service helpful to someone else.”
Benedict points out that there are few Angel Flight pilots in West Virginia.
“I’m a lucky fellow; I can afford the gas needed for these flights,” he comments.
One special patient for whom Benedict has provided air travel is a man who recently made world headlines. Richard Norris of Hillsville, Va., whose face was severely disfigured from a shotgun accident 15 years ago, received the most comprehensive face transplant ever performed, including a new nose, teeth and jaw.
Benedict flew Norris numerous times - as recently as March 6 - for various medical procedures under the care of physicians at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, where the 36-hour transplant surgery took place.
Benedict lives and works on the family dairy farm with his wife, Ann, who is also well-known for both philanthropic work and her many performances with Greenbrier Valley Theatre, a Lewisburg arts institution she helped found.
Today, Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic provides medical air transport for patients departing from the District of Columbia, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
Operating under the slogan, “The shortest distance between home and hope,” Angel Flight serves ambulatory patients of all ages who have medical conditions ranging from rare diseases to burns to cancer. Patients often lack the financial means to pay for long-distance transportation.
Many of the volunteer pilots donate time and energy by remaining just a phone call away. They provide the aircraft and handle all accompanying expenses, such as fuel and maintenance.
Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic averaged 70 flights per month last year. West Virginia pilots completed 74 missions in 2011, representing a public benefit of $59,754.
Copyright 2012 Charleston Newspapers