“It’s a great feeling giving away 19 scholarships worth near $55,000 to deserving men and women who want to be part of the helicopter industry,” said Marty Pociask, who for four years now has been vice president and curator of Helicopter Foundation International (HFI), the non-profit foundation supported by HAI. Pociask is here at Heli-Expo both to run the silent auction, raising funds for next year’s scholarships and to organize the Heritage Display of Helicopters in the exhibit hall.
“There are 60 items in this year’s auction, varying in value from $100 to more than $5,000,” said Pociask. The bidding is completely online this year at bidding site BiddingforGood.com/HFI. Bidders register a credit card and then are allowed to place their bids. “The online format has allowed us to start the bidding early, on February 17, and run it straight to the end of the show, 4 p.m. PST, on Thursday, February 27. It’s a 24/7 auction, too. That really maximizes our ability to raise funds,” he continued.
