CHICAGO, IL, 2019-Sep-26 — /Travel PR News/ — The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) is partnering with Chicago law enforcement and businesses to challenge all comers to pull 180,000 pounds, the distance of 12 feet, and help support year-round training and competition for more than 23,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities.
Benefiting Special Olympics Illinois, the 11th Annual O’Hare Plane Pull is slated for 8 a.m. on Saturday, September 28, at the United Airlines Cargo facility at O’Hare International Airport.
Held on the tarmac between two East-West parallel runways – the event offers a unique perspective of planes arriving and taking off on one of the world’s busiest airfields.
“The opportunities created by Special Olympics Illinois elevates the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sport,” said CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee. “We could not be more excited to again host this incredible and heartwarming event.”
Teams of 20 will compete in an ultimate tug-of-war to pull a plane a distance of 12 feet as quickly as possible. The top finisher from four divisions will face off for one final tug to determine a Grand Champion. Either a UPS Airbus A300 or United Airlines 757 aircraft will be on-site for use in the competition.
Registration is open for teams from law enforcement agencies, fire departments, private companies, high schools, colleges, fraternal groups and teams of friends and family.
To participate, each team is asked to raise a minimum of $1,000 ($50 per person) for Special Olympics Illinois. Teams raising more donations will be eligible for incentive prizes at the $2,500, $4,000 and $6,000 levels.
Teams will be divided into four divisions:
- Open Division (companies, schools, churches, clubs, friends & families)
- Public Safety Division (law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, DNR, DOC and military personnel)
- Hotel Division
- Fitness Division (CrossFit, gyms or other fitness groups)
Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. Team captains can turn in their donations and pick up team T-shirts and other materials beginning at that time. New teams can sign up the morning of the event.
Source: Chicago Department of Aviation