The first-ever Wichita Aero Club Ball managed to donate $31,000 to the United Way of the Plains to benefit laid-off aerospace workers in the region. More than 10,000 industry workers have lost their jobs in Wichita.

The event attracted 200 attendees, said club executive director Dave Franson. "The original plan was to hold a black tie ball and present the club's trophy to a worthy individual," he said. "But with the current economic conditions and job losses, we felt it wasn't a good year to do that," he said. "Instead, we asked people to take the money they would have spent on tuxedos and ball gowns and spend it on the auction."

Tables were purchased by companies including Cessna, Bombardier, Learjet, Hawker Beechcraft, FlightSafety International, the Wichita Eagle, Yingling Aviation and Sullivan, Higdon & Sink, said Franson. "We had 50 items up for our live and silent auction, and there were a lot of generous folks out there," he said. "Wichita is an extremely generous town and it was impressive to see how people came out and opened their pocketbooks."

Bonanza photo credit: Beechcraft