By Angela Satterlee

Visitors grabbing free popcorn at the Fly-In Theater this week are also supporting a new partnership that is making a difference beyond the AirVenture grounds.

For the first time, the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate is volunteering at the Fly-In Theater concession stand, sponsored by PenFed, serving popcorn each evening while accepting donations to support its mission of building affordable homes for families in the Oshkosh and Omro communities and all over the world.

Habitat for Humanity envisions a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Locally, the nonprofit has completed 53 homes, worked alongside more than 5,000 volunteers, and logged over 156,000 volunteer hours.

“Rain, snow, or sleet we’re out there building. We reach for the sky in a different way,” Executive Director Tom Simon said.

AirVenture has given Habitat an opportunity to introduce its mission to people from around the world. Tom said the event’s international audience makes AirVenture a unique place to grow awareness of Habitat’s work.

“People from all over came to talk to us about their Habitat experiences, and most of them were from outside the country,” Tom said.

Volunteering at the Fly-In Theater was the perfect way for Habitat to become involved with EAA.

“Volunteering for the Fly-In Theater was a good niche for Habitat and a solid entry into EAA,” Tom said. “EAA has a really exceptional crowd … and has similar values to Habitat so it was a natural merge.”

The experience has been so positive that Habitat is already planning to return next year and hopes to expand its involvement with EAA in the future.

“Where else in the world will you see an F-22 fly over your head while you’re handing out concessions?”

Tom credits Dan Traxler, Habitat’s director of resource development, for coordinating the partnership with EAA and thanked EAA volunteers for making the opportunity possible.

If you’re heading to the Fly-In Theater this week, stop by the Habitat for Humanity stand. Grab a free bag of popcorn, meet the volunteers, and consider making a donation to help local families build a place to call home.