Pulling it together: SourceAmerica takes on the Dulles Plane Pull
The air was filled with the faint smell of jet fuel as Team Force Multipliers from SourceAmerica’s National Office made their way onto the tarmac at Dulles International Airport. Fired up for what lay ahead, this was not your typical staff outing.
The team came together on October 23 for the 2021 Dulles Plane Pull®, which is organized by Special Olympics Virginia (SOVA).
Now in its 29th year, the event is a unique “human versus machine”-style competition. Teams race against the clock to pull an 82-ton FedEx Airbus A320 for 12 feet with nothing more than some rope and group strength. The team completed the event by pulling the plane in 10 minutes and 48 seconds.
The Force Multipliers had a team captain, an executive sponsor, several SOVA athletes on their team, and a SOVA athlete who served as a motivational coach in the days leading up to the event.
“The Plane Pull is all about teambuilding for a good cause,” said Linette Gaskins, SourceAmerica Manager of Events, who served as this year’s team’s captain. “Our organization is filled with some great people with generous hearts. It’s exciting to be able to come together with some of them to help support Special Olympics Virginia.”
As team captain, Gaskins was responsible for keeping her fellow Force Multipliers up to date on event details, including coordinating the team’s registration and ensuring that all team members signed their participation waivers. Participants included:
- Leejay Acham
- Jackie Bradley
- Michelle Brownlee
- David Egan
- Kevin Murphy
- Jeff Freel
- Linette Gaskins (Team Captain)
- Ralph Galvin
- Shane Kanady (Executive Sponsor)
- Tammy Lagrange
- Nisha Naidu
- Nate Pelayo
“The experience was a lot of fun,” said Leejay Acham, SourceAmerica Vice President of the Corporate Project Management Office. “At the last moment, 12 athletes from Special Olympics Virginia joined our team so that we could qualify to participate. It was a great opportunity to support a cause that’s aligned with our mission.”
While the team did not qualify for a trophy this year, they were awarded a plaque for their efforts, which will be displayed at SourceAmerica’s National Office. The results for all of the teams that participated in this year’s event have been posted to SOVA’s website.
The first Dulles Plane Pull was held in 1992 and has since raised over $2 million dollars. In addition to fundraising, it serves to build awareness for SOVA’s athletes and programs. The Force Multipliers raised $3,928 for this year’s event.
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