Angel Flight(R) Southeast Unveils Plans for First Annual Motorcycle & Road Rally Charity Poker Run

LEESBURG, Fla.--Feb. 2, 20062, 2006--

Ride Will Coincide with Annual Leesburg BikeFest and Offer Numerous Opportunities for Sponsorships and a Multitude of Festivities and Rewards for Participants

Angel Flight(R) Southeast, the 24-year-old nonprofit organization of more than 1,000 volunteer pilots who fly thousands of people free each year for medical and humanitarian reasons, today unveiled plans for its First Annual "Get Your Motors Running for Angel Flight" Charity Poker Run, to be held Saturday, April 29, 2006 in Central Florida.

This new fundraising event, which will involve a beautiful scenic route over 100 miles long, will have fun stops at popular "watering holes" and biker attractions throughout the Central Florida counties of Lake, Sumter and Marion. Riders will receive a number of gifts, receive raffle tickets for grand prizes, have the ability to bid on great auction prizes, and, of course, have an opportunity to win the Poker Run's grand cash prize. The art for the event's special commemorative t-shirt is being created by one of Angel Flight's patient-passengers, Cindy Kulp, a popular artist from the Florida Keys who is a courageous cancer survivor and role model for others undergoing treatment for life-threatening illnesses.

The bike run and road rally to benefit Angel Flight Southeast will coincide with the increasingly popular Leesburg BikeFest, which will take place April 28-30 in downtown Leesburg, Fla., in Lake County. All proceeds will go to fund the cost of coordinating Angel Flight Southeast's rapidly increasing number and variety of air missions for children and adults with difficult, often life-threatening medical conditions. These missions include flying transplant recipients, families and children relocating due to spousal abuse, adoption and Hospice relocations, children needing transportation to special needs summer camps, missions for natural and man-made disaster relief and for many other purposes.

In 2005 alone, the dozens of dedicated Angel Flight Southeast volunteers coordinated more than 3,800 air missions - an increase of more than 40 percent over the total number of air missions coordinated in 2004. Part of that increase - more than 600 flights - can be attributed to disaster relief flights for the carnage caused by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. However, there also was a significant increase in flying for many other needs, such as treatment for children afflicted with rare cancers and other disorders.

A Special Call for Poker Run Sponsorships

Several levels of sponsorships are being offered to help fund the event and publicize area businesses. These begin at the $50 "Scooter Saint" Rider level for advance tickets and expand to the $5,000 "Angelic Ambassador" presenting sponsor level. Those interested in sponsoring the event should contact Jeanne Hobson at Angel Flight Southeast's headquarters at (352) 326-0761. Registrations for the event as a rider or auto participant can be handled by visiting http://www.angelflightse.org or calling (352) 326-0761.