TAYLORVILLE, Ill (WAND) - Central Illinois pilots put their skills to use... deliver storm relief supplies to Kentucky on Sunday. It's a mission that hits close to home.
Michael Coady is a flight instructor in Taylorville. One of his students needed to pass their cross country flight, so he had the idea to hit two birds with one stone.Â
 "You know, what better way to do it. And then to help out people down in Mayfield, Kentucky because they're affected by tornadoes, "said Jamie Ruan, Michael's flight student. That's how the idea started. Then the Taylorville aviation community jumped on board.Â
"I really didn't expect anything less because I know what pilots are made of. And these guys are charitable. They're hard working. And they love putting their skill of being an aviator to work for a good cause," said Coady. That's when the Taylorville community started donating items.
"We have a couple thousand in monetary donations as well as 10 airplanes stuffed to the hilt with needed supplies, tarps, clothes, gloves, food, diapers, you name it, we got it," Coady said.
For his student pilot Jamie, this trip will mean so much more than just a check off a skill list.Â
""It's coming from the heart. You know, we we care about people, we care about each other. And these victims they need, they need help," Ruan said.
