Native Air, a division of one of the nation’s leading air medical services provider, Omniflight Helicopters, Inc., announced today that it donated $15,000 to Payson, Ariz.-based Gracie Lee Haught Children’s Memorial Fund under its Flight for a Cause fundraising program.

In September 2009, Native Air announced its alignment with the Mogollon Health Alliance’s Gracie Lee Haught Children’s Memorial Fund as part of its Flight for a Cause fundraising program, whereby the company supports local charities, affiliates and organizations within the communities it serves.

Native Air stated it would donate $10 for each air medical transport it completed throughout Arizona during the months of October, November and December 2009. Flights included those flown from all Native Air’s 12 helicopter bases and three airplane locations throughout the state. These bases are located in Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Casa Grande, Buckeye, Lake Havasu, Prescott, Prescott Valley, Show Low, Payson, Globe, Kearny and Deer Valley. Native Air employs about 250 from these locations.

The donation was made on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 8:15 AM at Payson Regional Medical Center. It was presented by Joel Hochhalter, vice president of business operations of Omniflight/Native Air and accepted by Mogollon Health Alliance CEO Judy Baker, and Gracie Lee Haught Children’s Memorial Fund COO Jan Parson. Mayor Kenny Evans was on hand for the event.

On hand at the check presentation event were members of Omniflight’s and Native Air’s management team as well as representatives from Mogollon Health Alliance, leadership at Payson Medical Center and the family of Gracie Lee Haught.

The Gracie Lee Haught Children’s Memorial Fund was established in 2005 by Mogollon Health Alliance, a not-for-profit organization whose primary focus is on health education, following a tragic accident in 2004, which took the life of 3½-year-old Gracie Lee Haught of Payson.

The fund works in conjunction with Mogollon Health Alliance to provide financial and emotional support to families suffering from the fallout of tragic accidents and unexpected emergency situations and helps those in need during the most difficult of times. Each case requesting financial and medical assistance from the foundation is reviewed by Mogollon Health Alliance. Additionally, education about safety precautions and related events have become the focus of the organization, including the provision of bike helmets to kindergarten through second grade children, teaching them life-saving skills and offering car seats to those families who need one.

Robert A. Peiser, Omniflight chairman and chief executive officer, said: “We recognize the importance of helping others in the various communities we serve, which is why we developed our Flight for a Cause program. To date, in just the past 1½ years, we donated approximately $30,000 in Arizona alone to causes we deemed important and organizations whose efforts affect so many. We are very pleased to provide this support to the Gracie Lee Haught Children’s Memorial Fund and Mogollon Health Alliance, which emphasizes and promotes safety as does Omniflight and Native Air. We are proud to help raise awareness throughout Arizona and within the local Payson community by providing assistance to noteworthy organizations such as the Gracie Lee Haught Children’s Memorial Fund.”

Jan Parsons, chief operations officer for the fund, added: “We are very grateful for the outpouring of support Native Air has shown the Gracie Lee Haught Children’s Memorial Fund. With this donation, we will work hard to continue our mission toward accident prevention and to provide aid to those families who struggle to provide critical medical care for their children. We appreciate the generosity exhibited by Native Air immensely and look forward to aiding the people of Payson with this kind charitable donation.”

Native Air continues its focus on community involvement and social responsibility with initiatives related to its Flight for a Cause fundraising program. In May 2009, Native Air donated nearly $15,000 to the Phoenix Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® from its Flight for the Cure program, which ran from December 2008 through February 2009.

About Gracie Lee Haught Children’s Memorial Fund

The Gracie Lee Haught Children’s Memorial Fund was established in October 2005 in memory of Gracie Lee Haught. Its mission is to promote and support the health, safety and well being of children in Rim Country. Funds raised are put aside — in their entirety — in a money market account for children’s health programs as well as for providing family assistance for children’s medical bills.

About Omniflight and Native Air

Mesa, Ariz.-based Native Air is a division of Omniflight Helicopters, Inc. of Addison, Texas. Native Air provides air medical services throughout Arizona. Omniflight is a leading provider of air medical services throughout the U.S. The company operates about 100 aircraft nationally from 70 bases in 19 states, with a strong presence across the Southwest, Midwest, and Southeast regions. Its focus is primarily on inter-facility transport and on-site emergency scene response using both rotor and fixed-wing aircraft. For more information, please visit www.omniflight.com.