Hovercrafters help feed hungry children

Yes, hovercraft are fun, but they also serve the greater good – and not just in rescue operations.

Organized by the Hoverclub of America, a group of hovercraft adventurers will come together on July 29 for a unique 500 mile Hover for Hunger journey up the Wabash River to raise funds and awareness for charities combating childhood hunger in Indiana.

One of the charities that the Wabash 500 Hover for Hunger will benefit is the food pantry of the Goshen Middle School. A similar program at South Vigo High School in Terre Haute will also benefit from the funds the hovercrafters raise.

“These are kids that are identified by their teachers or counselors as being at-risk of going hungry when they go home over the weekend. Through the program, once per week the kids are sent home with enough nutritious food to supply them with weekend meals,” explains Dave Reyburn, Hoverclub President and organizer of the trip. “The food pantries are stocked entirely by donations from local churches, individuals, and grants when available.”

All participants are covering the costs of their trip, and 100% of the proceeds raised through donations will go to the charities. If you would like to make a donation to this worthy cause, click here and then click on the “Donate Now” button under the graphic. 

The participants will be flying hovercraft from a wide variety of manufacturers, including Neoteric. They’re coming from all over the United States to participate, and even from as far as Australia.

Their trip will cover the entire navigable portion of the Wabash River. The downriver trip has been done by boat, but never by hovercraft and never upriver. Reyburn explains, “This will be the first attempt ever to complete the entire journey by hovercraft in one go. The hovercraft is ideally suited for navigating the shallows, sand bars, rapids, log jams, buried debris, and low head dam and shoals found along the Wabash.”

If you’d like to meet up in person with this amazing group of people, you can see their full travel agenda at the bottom of this page. They’re launching the trip at 8 a.m. Wednesday July 29 from Old Shawnee Town, Illinois 10 miles south of the confluence of the Ohio and Wabash Rivers, and ending it around 5 p.m. Sunday August 2 in Fort Recovery, Ohio.

“We hope to cover about 100 miles per day, stopping at many towns along the river to raise awareness and tell the story of our journey,” says Reyburn, “This is hovering with purpose.”

This is a great opportunity for you to “pay it forward”!

Your donation will help feed a hungry child …

Hovercraft: The Safest Flood Rescue Vehicle

Flooding has been a serious problem in the United States this year. The current threat is focused on the central states; hopefully it won’t reach the catastrophic proportions suffered by Texas and Oklahoma a few weeks ago. In May, Texas was deluged with 35 trillion gallons of rain, creating the deadliest national disaster in the U.S. this year.

This newscast describes the disaster and the role of Neoteric hovercraft in the massive rescue efforts …

As the Dallas police officer discovered when his patrol car was trapped by flood waters, vehicle drivers are the most common victims in flood emergencies. During the Texas floods, more than 500 water rescues were performed, and the majority of them were stranded motorists. At least 2,500 vehicles were abandoned when drivers had to seek higher ground.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that each year more deaths occur due to flooding than from any other thunderstorm-related hazard, and that more than half of all flood-related drownings happen when a vehicle is driven into hazardous water. It warns, “People underestimate the force and power of water. Many of the deaths occur in automobiles as they are swept downstream … A mere 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock over an adult. It takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away a small car, while 2 feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles. It is NEVER safe to drive or walk into flood waters.”

That’s why hovercraft are a critical rescue vehicle in flood and swiftwater rescue operations. And the Neoteric Rescue Hovertrek with its exclusive reverse thrust tops the maneuverability of other models. Flying 9 inches above the surface, the HoverTrek performs in shallow, debris-filled, fast-flowing water and allows rapid, up-close access to victims without forcing first responders to enter the water. In dangerous flood waters, there’s no better way to save lives – or to keep rescuers from becoming the rescued.

First responders: Now is the time for a demo. 

See what the HoverTrek can do for you, with a Text Flight or Training Course.