EVERY FLIGHT IS A MISSION
by Gladys Neigel
With blue skies stretching to infinity, 15-year-old Ken Guill chugged along on a tractor as he cultivated rows and rows of Iowa corn. His attention was suddenly diverted to the sky as he watched an airplane lift off from a nearby airstrip.
His desire for flying, born at age five, took over his senses, and his eyes never left the plane as it soared into the sky. His dad would later find him trying to replant the corn he had overturned.
Flying became not only a dream but a reality when, five years after the cornfield experience, Guill became a student pilot and was on his way to becoming certified. Over the years, he found ways to use his love of flying for recreation and in helping others.
As he volunteered transporting patients for the Angel Flight organization, he saw a need to serve stretcher patients since commercial airline flights were not equipped for this. However, it wasn’t until a rainy day in November 2004 when the thought came to him to start such an emergency relief flight organization.
As the president and founder, he chose Missions Possible for the organization’s name. His friend and vice president, Joe Kemmerer, suggested adding the word “made” to the title, and Orlando-based Missions Made Possible was born.
After putting in personal money toward the initial outlay, Guill has relied on donations to fund this 501(c)(3) organization. Through generosity of individuals and sponsorship of corporations, Missions Made Possible has flown 95 flights for patients as young as babies in need of specialized medical care to 94-year-old seniors relocating to a medical facility near loved ones.
“The idea of helping in this way must have come from God,” says Guill, “because it came to me like a light.” When he prayed for an airplane, the Lord provided one. Later, when the engine needed to be replaced, the Lord impressed him to look for one on eBay. Finally, when donations slowed down, he prayed for guidance on what to do next. The Lord sent a young man who was willing to buy the plane and give Missions Made Possible complete use of it for all of their flights.
Captain Guill’s dedication to service has not gone unnoticed. He was recently featured in an “Everyday Heroes” segment on Central Florida News 13. During this year’s spring training, the New York Yankees acknowledged Guill and Missions Made Possible during their Helping Others to Persevere and Excel (HOPE) Week and presented him with a $5,000 check. While recognitions are greatly appreciated, the accolades he enjoys most are the many thank-you notes received through the years from the people he has helped.
Learn more about Captain Guill’s life-saving missions at missionsmadepossible.com, or e-mail him at missionsmp@aol.com