Wichita may be the smallest city of the country. Or probably the largest town of the country. It is large, with nearly 400,000 residents and 550,000 in a large metropolitan area. And a small, a type of place where you know your banker and hit your friends while running on business.
In recent years, Wichita has dreamed of the people's perception, bidding to hold major sporting events, and often fought for new non -stop flights by advertising Witchita's heritage as the center of the national aviation industry. I am.
Last week, the city fulfilled these two ambitions, holding the US figure skating championship for the first time, many spectators and competitors went directly to Washington DC, ferry directly on a direct flight launched last year.
On Wednesday, these milestones were forever marked by the tragedy of a passenger jet and the Army helicopter on the Potomac River in Washington. Many of the flights from Wichita were elite youth figure skaters, their coaches and families.
“This is unfortunately part of the history of Kansas Airlines,” said Ben Sodas, the highest executive of the Kansas Museum in the town.
It wasn't a coincidence that these skaters were in Wichita. We visited Wichita Figure Skate Club and Wichita, a local tourist marketing division, and worked to persuade our figure skating to hold a championship event in the town.
“The championship has been held in our wish list for many years,” said Suzy Santo, the president and highest executive of Visiting Witchita.
In the past 10 years, the city has held sexual and regional competitions, synchronous skating competitions, and theater competitions. All of that work reached the peak of last week when the best skaters in Japan entered downtown.
Many Wichita wanted this event to be transformed for a small figure skating community. However, the loss of the skater who attended an elite development camp in the town after the competition suddenly reconciled the moment of the catalyst.
“We felt really wonderful about how everything we had progressed last week. After a while, this tragedy has occurred and everything has disappeared,” said Jolin Taylor, President of Wichitafigi Skating Club. Ta.
Taylor volunteered on a development camp on Monday and spent time with a teen boy group. She said her manners that stick to her heart besides her skills.
“They are competitors, but they were very kind to each other. They were very polite to me as a team escort,” she said. “I always ask for me, thank you for everything.”
The Wichita Figure Skate Club is one of the small clubs in the Midwest. The membership fluctuates, but now he is 60 years old, half a young man and half adult. Nobody was invited to the elite development camp, but the members love skating. Some people do it in recreation, while others practice regularly and travel to competitions.
“Skating is really for everyone,” said Taylor.
In the championship, some club members volunteered as sweepers and picked up stuffed animals and flowers thrown on ice. Others were able to see some of their heroes up close, as they practiced at the Wichita Ice Center.
Club skate learning programs are growing. In the fall of last year, more than 700 skaters participated in the city's skatefest.
After CRASH, the fog (literally and UR -like) settled on Wichita.
Rev. Pamera Hughes Mason of St. Paul America heard about a crash that she received a short text message on Wednesday night.
“It's a familiar flight for most of my congregations and those who know me,” said Mason. “At that time, it started with telephone, organizing, and prayer.”
Wichita is a brand as a major manufacturing center for the world's aircraft, Cessna and Beach Craft airplanes, Boeing, Airbus, Bonbaldia parts and airplanes.
“It's really soaked in the fabric of who we are,” said Sauceda of the Aviation Museum.
But getting in and out of the city is not easy. Most flights from the Wichidawight D. Eisen Hower National Airport head to regional hubs such as Denver, Dallas, and Atlanta, and residents are on the ultimate destination. There are more options to drive 2 hours to Oklahoma City, even 3 hours to Kansas City.
The daily flight to Washington is a direct connection of Wichita northeast. It started just a year ago after the campaign by the city and state officials.
“I know the flight, I skipped it many times,” said Jerry Moran, a Senator in Kansas, at a press conference on Thursday. “I did a lobby activity to launch a direct non -stop flight service to DCA on American Airlines,” said Washington Airport.
Sauceda has begun a list of air employees, the head of SPACEX, the head of NASA administrator AIRBUS AMERICAS.
The direct flight said, “We have supported Wichita's trade.”
After being canceled on Thursday, the flight to Washington resumed on Friday. Even as the recovery efforts are underway, Wichita's officials are trying to support the dead from near and far away from loved ones.
The Wichita Foundation, a community foundation that pays millions of subsidies each year, has argued on launching a fund to support the family and establishing a monument for skaters and other victims.
“Our heart is broken,” said Santo, who visited Wichita. “We consider them as a family. We are here to support all Wichitan and others who have lost their beloved people.”
