WASHINGTON — Continuing its mission of transforming dreams into careers, the East Coast Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (ECCTAI) will host a “Legacy of Excellence: Tuskegee Airmen Fundraising Reception” from 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. May 25 at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

The Memorial Day weekend reception is aimed at generating funds to support deserving students pursuing aviation and aerospace careers through the chapter’s Youth In Aviation Program (YIAP) and scholarship grants. 

Proceeds from the Legacy of Excellence reception will help offset the rising cost of flight training. Supporting programs like YIAP help bridge that gap — removing financial barriers and opening doors to life-changing opportunities in aviation, science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 

“Too often the dreams of many aspiring aviators are grounded before they ever reach the cockpit,” said H. Thomas “Tommy” Herndon Jr., president of ECCTAI and a former U.S. Air Force pilot. “Our chapter aims to improve that trajectory. This fundraiser is our lift-off point. It’s an investment in students from underserved communities.”

The reception will feature a special  recognition of two community leaders who have supported ECCTAI’s mission of continuing the legacy of the pioneering World War II service members: Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and the Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, senior pastor of Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, both known for their social activism and support of ECCTAI.

The fundraiser will also include a silent auction where attendees will have the opportunity to bid on prized items, including a seven-day stay at a private Caribbean villa in Jamaica; fine-dining and travel experiences in the D.C. area; and exclusive Tuskegee Airmen memorabilia. Bidding opens online May 19. 

Since its creation in 1996, more than 200 students have been exposed to aviation and aerospace professional careers via ECCTAI’s Herbert H. Jones Jr. Youth in Aviation Program. Some now work as military and civilian pilots, aircraft mechanics and air traffic controllers.

“We are proud to provide access to in-demand careers where representation matters and opportunities are growing,” said Yvonne McGee, director of the chapter’s Youth in Aviation Program.

“The success of our alumni speaks to the power of early exposure, mentorship and a legacy of excellence.”

ECCTAI has awarded more than $217,000 in scholarships to deserving college students and has introduced hundreds of youth and adults to the experience of flight through its annual Flight Day at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to attend a free tribute performance by the United States Air Force Band featuring Tony and Grammy Award-winning performer Renée Elise Goldsberry — best known for her role in the Broadway hit “Hamilton” — at The Theater at MGM National Harbor immediately after the reception.

Tickets, priced at $200, for the reception may be purchased through http://bit.ly/4jHNj9V, and donations are encouraged from those unable to attend. For more information, contact commemorationday@ecctai.org.

ABOUT THE EAST COAST CHAPTER TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, INC.

Founded in 1973, ECCTAI is the oldest and largest chapter of the renowned Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., the organization dedicated to honoring the accomplishments and preserving the history of nearly 19,000 primarily African American men and women who participated as air crew, ground crew and operations support personnel in the Army Air Corps during World War II.