The Dream Team: Helping This Year’s ‘Santa Flight’ Take Off

Steve Bollinger is the leader of Angel Flight West’s Utah Chapter, an organization that transports non-emergency medical patients for treatment, helps reunite families during an emergency and assists in the relocation of survivors of domestic violence. The group of volunteer pilots fly their own planes and pay for all costs out of their own pockets so those they are helping don’t need to worry about paying for the service.

The original idea for the Santa Flight program began about 20 years ago when Steve was looking for a way to assist Utah communities in need. He recruited a group of volunteer pilots who filled their planes with school supplies and delivered them to disadvantaged students. Santa even tagged along on that trip as an extra special surprise.

As the years have passed, Angel Flight West and the Santa Flight programs have continued to bring joy to thousands of people. This year, Santa and his school supplies will be landing at Parowan Elementary.

To thank Steve for his extraordinary efforts, the Dream Team flew in with a surprise special delivery—$1,000 to help with this year’s Santa Flight and four VIP tickets to a Utah Jazz game.

“Steve will receive dozens and dozens of letters, drawings and cards, from teachers, principals, students, families and parents of the kids that are benefitting from it. That’s just a small portion of the thanks he gets,” says James, Steve’s nephew. “Thank you to Steve for being an example of what Christmas is all about.”