Leading a Committed Life

Jacqueline Jacquet-Williams wanted to give back to her community. After joining Continental in 1974 and learning more about the inner workings of the airline industry, she gathered a group of Continental flight attendants and began visiting inner-city organizations and schools to tell kids about a career in the airline industry.

That was the beginning of a dream for Jacquet-Williams, who eventually formed the Black Flight Attendants of America (BFAOA), a nonprofit organization promoting careers in the aviation industry. “We started with about 50 flight attendants in Los Angeles, and we now have more than 300 members in nine chapters,” she says.

The group’s mission statement comes from a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in which he talked about leading a committed life. Jacquet-Williams made a commitment to give back to her community by helping kids realize their potential. “Kids in south central Los Angeles sit on their front porch and watch the planes take off and land at LAX,” she says. “So I talk to kids about careers in aviation and show them the possibilities of traveling the world.”

BFAOA members tell young people primarily about how flight attendants travel the world, seeing places they might have only dreamed about. “We describe the atmosphere of different and diverse cultures,” Jacquet-Williams explains. “We also stress the importance of staying in school and the role education plays in a career in travel.”

Jacquet-Williams’ commitment to others goes back a long way. She was a performer with the USO during the Vietnam conflict and sang for U.S. troops. She was also a volunteer chaperone with her country’s track team at the Munich Olympics, where she witnessed the aftermath of one of the biggest tragedies in sports history. That didn’t deter Jacquet-Williams, though; she went on to volunteer at the Los Angeles, Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, and Athens Olympics.

With the BFAOA, Jacquet-Williams organizes book donations and holiday parties for hospitalized children and volunteers at the Los Angeles Marathon and the annual Martin Luther King Jr. march in Atlanta. She considers her greatest success in forming BFAOA to be the legacy of promoting aviation careers to inner-city youth in the United States.

Miles for a Cure

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is now a participant in the OnePass Donate Your Miles program, which allows OnePass members to donate mileage to help people in need.

Marking more than six decades of Making Cancer History^®, the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston, is one of the world’s most respected facilities devoted exclusively to cancer treatment, research, education, and prevention. Donations will enable patients to travel to M. D. Anderson to seek the life-saving, life-changing care that the institution has been offering since 1941.

In addition to M. D. Anderson, OnePass members can donate miles to Golfers Against Cancer, CareForce, and Healing the Children, as well as other charitable organizations.

Total online donations to Donate Your Miles have so far exceeded 2,500,000 miles, and the number of online donations from OnePass members is almost 33,000.

Online donations may be made at continental.com > OnePass > Use Miles > Donate Your Miles. — L.O.

In the Pink

In Texas, Susan Rafte was diagnosed with breast cancer. In New York, her sister, Jane Weiner, wanted to help, but being so far across the country made it difficult. So Weiner, a professional dancer, got together with other professional dancers to create Pink Ribbons Project, a charity that helps to raise awareness through the arts about health and early detection of breast cancer.

Rafte battled her cancer while working with her sister on Pink Ribbons Project. The success of the charity, along with Rafte’s personal story of survival, earned her the Lance Armstrong Spirit of Survivorship Award. After the award was announced, Pink Ribbons Project decided to host an annual cycling ride in Texas called Tour de Pink.

Enter Ryan Price, managing director, global medical programs, for Continental Airlines. Price, whose mother lost her battle with cancer, made a promise to her that he would cycle across Ireland, her family homeland. He began training, and at a cycling event he picked up a flyer for Tour de Pink. Price immediately became involved with the local charity, raising more than $20,000 since 2006.

Tour de Pink, hosted by Pink Ribbons Project, is a pledge bike ride through the Texas countryside. “We have 12-, 23-, 47-, 63-, 80-, and 100-mile rides — a ride to fit any level of cyclist,” Rafte says. The money raised benefits Pink Ribbons Project programs, including Pink Aware education outreach, Pink Alive survivor support, and Pink Power community partnerships. Tour de Pink is now Pink Ribbons Project’s single largest fundraiser. This year it takes place September 7, starting and finishing at Prairie View A&M.

For those who can’t be at the ride on September 7, there is a Pink Phantom Virtual Ride. To sign up to ride, participate in the Pink Phantom Virtual Ride, or volunteer for Tour de Pink, visit tourdepink.org.

To learn more about Pink Ribbons Project, visit pinkribbons.org. Continental Airlines is an official sponsor of Tour de Pink and Pink Ribbons Project. — L.O.

Award-Winning Airline

Continental Airlines was recently named the Best Airline in North America for the fifth consecutive year at the 2008 OAG Airline of the Year Awards.

In addition, Continental was awarded the Best Airline Finance Deal, a new award category recognizing the success of the airline’s April 2007 financing transaction, which raised $1.1 billion for the purchase of 30 new 737NG aircraft. These aircraft are being delivered during 2008.

The annual OAG Airline Industry Awards celebrate the best in global air travel and the highest standards within the airline industry. Subscribers to OAG’s print and electronic travel information and products vote for airlines in different award categories. — L.O.