Los Angeles- On Sunday, January 18^th 2004, at 10:00 a.m., off-duty pilots from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Air Support Division, will be departing from the Van Nuys airport in seven general aviation airplanes bound for Mexicali in Baja, California.

For the sixth year, these pilots will be airlifting toys, school supplies, sports equipment, bicycles and clothing to children residing in Colonia Hildago, a neighborhood not too far from the USA-Mexico border. Members of the La Sagrada Familia church will distribute the items donated by officers from the Air Support Division.

The pilots and their airplanes will rendezvous at the former Air National Guard ramp located at 8060 Balboa Place on the west side of the Van Nuys Airport. At 9:30 a.m. the planes will be loaded in preparation for 10:15 a.m. departure. The 200 mile flight to the border will take about one hour and thirty minutes.

For further information contact Sergeant Doug Abney, flight coordinator, at 213-485-2600 or 310-869-2837.

This news advisory was prepared by Officer Don Cox, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.