Riding for the Future
James Stafford Memorial Scholarship Fund
When aviation enthusiast and EAA member James Stafford passed away in September 2006, one could easily tell he was a loved man. Just as gifts and condolences began flowing in from all directions, his family had an idea.
Rather than allocating resources toward thoughtful gifts of sympathy, they decided to invite James’ beloved family members, friends and colleagues to donate to a scholarship fund in his memory.
“It was the perfect way to honor Jim and also be productive and help people,” said Shawn Hill, Stafford’s son-in-law.
James Stafford, a resident of Fond du Lac, Wis., was bit by the aviation bug late in life, but his passion for the world of flight wasn’t limited by time. A few years before his passing, Stafford became increasingly interested in aviation, thanks to his close friend and pilot Gary Schultz. Through his friendship with Gary, Stafford was truly given wings.
Hill remembers: “Gary would come over and pick up Jim, and from there, they’d go on adventures. Taking their bikes on the plane, they were ready for anything. Gary and Jim were great buddies.”
From his friendship with Schultz, Stafford’s interest in flying grew. He could regularly be found with his nose in an aviation book or chatting with his friends and family about his newfound love for flight. This unbridled passion for the sport was the ultimate inspiration for his family in setting up an EAA endowment in his honor.
“EAA was the perfect place to house the fund because it was symbolic; after Jim lost his bought with Cancer, he was finally free to fly where and whenever he wanted,” said Hill, who recently became an EAA member as well.
Little did anyone anticipate that Jim’s scholarship fund would one day be supplemented in a unique way. Early in the winter of 2008, Hill was in the heart of planning a cross-country snowmobiling trip with his brother, Craig, set for March 2009. They planned on blazing the trails of Ontario, Canada, hoping to ride more than 1,000 miles in five-days time. As the trip was gaining buzz due to its mileage aspiration and time frame, Hill was inspired to create a trip sponsorship opportunity to benefit the endowment fund.
Craig and Shawn Hill, during their snowmobiling adventure.
Hill then took the trip to the next level by starting a blog, “The Ontario Sledhead Adventure 2009,” which was regularly updated on their travels. The pair also used a spot location device that tracked their exact live position on the trail using a GPS system. Many supporters told the duo they checked their progress each day, interested to see the impressive mileage traveled in such a short period of time.
Although they had hundreds of miles to cover, the week-long snowmobiling trip flew by. During the cross-country journey, Hill shared both exciting moments and problems that sprung up along the way. From flying high and racing Canadian National Trucks near the highway, to the dangerous moment when his backpack caught fire beside his snowmobile’s exhaust pipe – all of the trip’s moments were front and center on the Sledhead Adventure blog, giving readers a glimpse into the Hill brothers’ journey.
Dozens of beautiful trails and numerous blog posts later, the pair found themselves on the last leg of the ride. Overcome with a profound sense of success, Shawn wrote in his blog, “We are going to take our time today and finish the trip with a bang. This has been one hell of an adventure so far, and I would like to end it on a high note.”
Even with the hiccups encountered along the way, the world-class trails and hospitality easily surpassed any pitfalls. “There’s just a different vibe up there; it gives you a different perspective on life in general. We really appreciated their hospitality and friendliness,” said Hill.
By the trip’s close, the snowmobiling brothers had ridden 1,167 miles and raised more than $3,000 to be allocated toward the James Stafford Memorial Scholarship Fund for EAA’s youth. The fund will assist those interested in aviation in pursuing their dreams of flight.
“We hope it will help other young people to discover their interests earlier in life than Jim did,” elaborates Hill. “Maybe it will peak their interest and be the extra push they needed to take it to the next level.”
Hill knows the importance of being given the ability to pursue one’s dreams and passions as a child. When he was younger, he and his brothers were given many opportunities by their parents to experience outdoor activities and “toys”, including snowmobiles. Since then, snowmobiling has remained a Hill family tradition.
“It’s something I’ve always been passionate about, and it all started because I was exposed to it as a kid. The intent of the Scholarship Fund is the same – if kids think they may be interested in planes or becoming a pilot, we hope that receiving a scholarship will give them the opportunity to foster and grow that interest and further identify their passions,” he explains.
After all was said and done, Hill would do a trip like it again in a heartbeat. But, with a loving wife, 16-month-old baby girl and another child on the way … the next Sledhead trip may have to wait awhile.
opportunity
"If kids think they may be interested in planes or becoming a pilot, we hope that receiving a scholarship will give them the opportunity to foster and grow that interest and further identify their passions."
Shawn Hill, son-in-law of James Stafford, who contributed to the scholarship fund with a cross-country snowmobiling fundraiser.