Introducing Amelia Bearheart – the Prince George Airport Mascot
Prince George, BC – The Prince George Airport Authority (PGAA) has added one more employee to the roster. Today marks Amelia Bearheart’s first day on the job as the Prince George Airport’s (YXS) mascot.
“We were looking for an interactive way to connect with the community and felt having a mascot would allow us to have a presence at community events,” says PGAA Marketing Manager Lindsay Cotter. “Once that decision was made, we began the process of bringing her to life. It was an incredible journey choosing every detail that makes up Amelia. We hope the community loves her as much as we’ve enjoyed making her.”
PGAA President and CEO John Gibson says, “We chose a black bear because we wanted an animal that represented Northern BC that wasn’t already in the local mascot circle. We also have a number of bear displays throughout the terminal, so we felt a bear was a great choice. Once we made that decision, we knew we wanted the mascot to be aviation related, so we went with an old school pilot. Our last decision was a name, and through some brainstorming sessions Amelia Bearheart was solidified honouring the late Amelia Earheart, the first female pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.”
Cotter says “The hardest part has been keeping her on the down low. Amelia has been in Prince George for a few months now, however, we wanted to launch her around International Women’s Day, which also falls during Celebrating Women in Aviation Week.”
Today Amelia was unveiled to 250 people at Blackburn Elementary School. Gibson emceed the event, which focused on Women in Aviation, including those who work at YXS.
“All four airlines operating out of YXS have female base managers, so today we acknowledged and celebrated them too,” says Gibson.
Amelia Bearheart will spend her time making appearances throughout the terminal making new friends and attending events around the city.
Contact:
Lindsay Cotter
We asked her few questions to get better acquainted:
What’s your biggest passion?
“I love to fly! Being up in the sky is always a pleasure. It is so peaceful and the views are spectacular. I also love flying out of my hometown airport YXS. All the staff know me by name and they are very friendly. I start my day with a few hugs from my airport friends and end my day with their warm smiles.”
What does a perfect day in Prince George look like?
“If I am working, the perfect day starts off with getting on board the aircraft and knowing a few people on my flight. As Prince George is such a friendly community, often times I know at least a couple people. Another highlight of my day is when I get to be part of someone’s first flight. There is something so magical about flying and I am so blessed I get paid to do this. Once I am done my shift, I enjoy hiking the back country and cooling off in one of the many lakes around Prince George.
If I am on a day off, I enjoy visiting my other mascot friends. We can be found eating at one of the amazing restaurants in the city or hanging out at a river or lake. If I’m looking to relax, I will head to the Public Library to find a new book!”
amelia(At)pgairport(Dot)ca
#YXSamelia