This summer Papa Joe and Mama D headed to Oshkosh, WI to check out “Cajun’s Corner” which houses the Redbird Velocity Flight Simulator (equipped with an F-35 and F-16 Thunderbird Sim) that we sponsored in 2020 and to meet this year’s camp scholarship recipients, Sydney and Trevor.

Our recipients attend the camp that starts at the tail end of AirVenture, which is the largest airshow in the US. If you like airshows this is a bucket list trip! It was so awesome to see this camp come back better than ever after being shut down because of Covid.

The first day of camp the kids are able to explore the convention, attend any of the seminars, watch the day airshow and also get to attend the nighttime airshow which is one of the coolest shows we have ever seen! Then camp officially starts where the kids learn about welding, maintenance, finance, wood working, etc.

Sydney said “My trip to Oshkosh, Wisconsin is a trip that I will cherish forever. From walking around at AirVenture, to workshop/classroom rotations, to family style meals, I've made countless memories and have met people that I will never forget. I learned many new skills such as welding, sheet metal work, and woodworking. I also learned many valuable things in the classroom that will help me prepare for my future in aviation such as how to write a good scholarship, different career paths, weather, flight planning, engines, and more. My favorite part of the camp was of course the airplanes, but also the relationships that were built over just nine days. We instantly became a family, which made it very hard to leave. We came for the airplanes, but the friendships will last a lifetime!”

Trevor said “As I look back at my adventure at the Aviation Academy, I think about all the people I met and my experiences that made this trip special. I learned about weather patterns, ATC operations, aviation history, manufacturing, and much more! I also had an opportunity to take a flight. Attending this camp in Cajun’s name was an honor. I will carry on his legacy by pursuing my dream in the Air Force. Thank you for allowing me to have this wonderful opportunity!”

Our trip concluded with a tile being placed at the Historic Brown Arch which is at show center for every airshow performed at Oshkosh. Cajun’s legacy will be able to inspire millions of people that will embark on these grounds for years to come!  We left Oshkosh humbled and honored that they have allowed us to keep Cajun’s love for aviation alive with these scholarship opportunities. We truly believe he is smiling down on us and grateful for what you have all helped our family accomplish. We also want to give a huge shout out to Scott & Julie Cameron and all the camp counselors for the environment you have created and letting us play a small part in inspiring the next generation of aviation enthusiasts!

We are happy to announce that we have secured 2 camp spots for 2023. The recipients will attend Session 2, July 28th - Aug 5th. Scholarship applications will open on Dec 1, 2022. Please help us spread the word and encourage any 16-18 year old to apply that you think could benefit from this opportunity.

Please also note that we are working on a date in April 2023 to do another Cornhole/Brewery Fundraiser and for those that cannot attend we will also have the Cajun’s Climb “Virtual” Hike Fundraiser available. Stay tuned for details!

Thank you again for all of your love and support in helping us continue Cajun’s mission. We are forever grateful!

XOXO