Westjet 2003 Annual Report Download - page 7

Tim Morgan (left), WestJet Senior Vice President,
Operations and Co-Chief Operating Officer.
Tony Knowles, BCIT President.
Since inception, WestJet and
WestJetters have provided both
time and charitable flight donations
to various organizations - considering
these donations to be an important
part of WestJet’s culture and the
practice of responsible business.
2003 saw WestJet provide more than 800 charitable
organizations across Canada with trips for two across our
network to assist charities in raising much-needed funds.
WestJet also made larger contributions of numerous flights
to charities such as Kids Help Phone and Missing Children
Society. A supporter of Hope Air, WestJet also donated
more than $70,000 worth of flights to this national
organization that arranges free air transportation for
Canadians who must travel to medical care, but can not
afford the cost of flight themselves.
WestJet also continues to support Kids Explore - a not-for-
profit organization that offers aboriginal children ages 10
- 14 in remote villages in Canada's North the opportunity
to travel to, and experience, an urban environment for the
first time in their lives. WestJet has supported this program
with donated flights for six years, and plans are underway
to offer more free flights in 2004.
In the spirit of seasonal giving, WestJet once again
participated in the annual Samaritan's Purse Operation
Christmas Child program. This program provides Christmas
gifts to children suffering through war, natural disaster,
poverty, illness, or neglect.
Not only did WestJetters fill 602 shoeboxes with toys,
toiletries, and other items for this drive, but they even
volunteered their time at the Operation Christmas Child
warehouse to help pack the shoeboxes for their long
journey.
On a more localized level, WestJet provides its stations with
hundreds of trips for two to distribute to local charities and
fundraisers each year. Some of the charities supported
across Canada include local United Way campaigns, Big
Brothers and Big Sisters organizations, literacy campaigns,
and local community and arts events.
In addition to charitable giving, WestJet is also a strong
supporter of community events, and provides in-kind
sponsorship to hundreds of local and national organizations.
Last year, WestJet was proud to be the Official Airline of
the Canadian Football League, and sponsored the Toshiba
Breath of Life Ski Challenge, Nokia Brier, Scott Tournament
of Hearts, Canadian Country Music Awards, and many
other events.
With conscious decisions to support the community at
large, WestJet is determined to make a difference in its ever
expanding world - sharing laughter and hope, and touching
lives from coast to coast.
WESTJET CHOOSES
Loan guarantee from United States Export-Import Bank received on November 22, 2000. 2003 WestJet Annual Report |13
On October 1, 2003, WestJet executive Tim Morgan,
accompanied by a handful of WestJetters, delivered a fully
operational Boeing 737-200 aircraft to the B.C. Institute of
Technology's (BCIT) aerospace campus at Vancouver
International Airport. With the signing over of this aircraft to
BCIT President Tony Knowles, BCIT and WestJet launched a
partner-in-training program to enhance aeronautic training
and development in Canada.
The 737-200 served as a WestJet passenger jet and was
retired from commercial service in September 2003 and
delivered to BCIT, where it now enhances the polytechnic
institution's aerospace programs to better meet
the unique needs of the commercial aviation
transport industry.
At the signing ceremony, Tim
Morgan commented: “This aircraft
offers a chance for students to gain
a hands-on understanding of
technology that is still in
use across the industry.
WestJet is proud to be a
partner in training with
BCIT Aerospace, and we
are pleased to be a part of
BCIT Aerospace's tradition of
offering high-calibre training.”
Since delivery of the 737, we are pleased to report that
students and instructors at BCIT have been very excited to be
working with the donated aircraft.
Said Tony Knowles: “This new partnership in polytechnic
training, beginning with a significant donation that will help
us build upon our core strengths of maintenance repair and
overhaul, is ultimately about innovation, achieving new
standards of excellence and investing in the people who will
shape the aerospace industry for years to come. We thank
WestJet for its generous support of BCIT Aerospace.”
BCIT Aerospace students are beginning to learn about the
organization planning necessary to carry out work on a
transport-category aircraft. They are learning more about
complete systems, for example electrical, hydraulic and
pneumatic systems. BCIT Aerospace now has for the first
time an aircraft that includes all systems, and students can
gain a hands-on understanding of how they all work together.
WestJet's choice to contribute to the education of Canadian
aerospace students not only prepares the next generation of
people for work in this exciting industry, the industry at large
benefits through the availability of highly-qualified graduates.
WestJetters are proud of our donation, and are very much
looking forward to working with our future colleagues!
WestJet shares split three-for-two on May 10, 2000.
WESTJET LENDS
A HELPING HAND
EDUCATION
Wrapping gifts at Operation Christmas Child, 2003.
Kids Explore at Vancouver’s Stanley Park.