Former US VP Al Gore spearheads transport of hurricane victims to relief in home state
{{dateline|date=September 4, 2005|location=Knoxville, Tennessee}}
About 140 mostly weak or ailing victims of the hurricane ravaged city of [[w:New Orleans|New Orleans]] were flown here Saturday by a volunteer crew on a flight chartered by former United States Vice President [[w:Albert Gore|Albert Gore]].

The victims were greeted by Knoxville's mayor, many medical professionals, and other volunteers helping them board buses destined to area hospitals.  There they were to be assessed and sent to a local [[w:Red Cross|Red Cross]] shelter.

Although Gore was present on the flight and assisted moving the passengers to the waiting buses, he "declined to take credit for the airlift, fearing it would be 'politicized.'"[http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_news/article/0,1406,KNS_347_4054083,00.html]  An associate of Gore who assisted in the project, Dr. Anderson Spickard, said that although Gore chartered the flight, "we'll decide who pays for it later."

Spickard also remarked that originally the plane was to take two flights that day, but flight delays forestalled that plan.  The plane will leave Knoxville Saturday evening, he said, to make another aid flight on Sunday.

== Related Stories ==

[http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050905/ap_on_re_us/katrina_refugees_hk4 States Struggling With Katrina Refugees]

== Sources ==

*{{source|url=http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_news/article/0,1406,KNS_347_4054083,00.html
| title=Haven from fury: Mercy Flight Brings Evacuees to ET
| author=Robert Wilson
| pub=Knoxville News-Sentinel
| date=September 4, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://www.thedailytimes.com/sited/story/html/216543
| title=Mission of Mercy: Gore brings storm victims to home state
| author=Darren Dunlap
| pub= The Daily Times of Maryville, TN
| date=September 4, 2005}}

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[[Category:Disasters and accidents]]
[[Category:Hurricane season, 2005]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Louisiana]]
[[Category:Tennessee]]
[[Category:Al Gore]]
[[Category:Knoxville, Tennessee]]
About 140 mostly weak or ailing victims of the hurricane ravaged city of New Orleans were flown here Saturday by a volunteer crew on a flight chartered by former United States Vice President Albert Gore.

The victims were greeted by Knoxville's mayor, many medical professionals, and other volunteers helping them board buses destined to area hospitals.  There they were to be assessed and sent to a local Red Cross shelter.

Although Gore was present on the flight and assisted moving the passengers to the waiting buses, he "declined to take credit for the airlift, fearing it would be 'politicized.'"  An associate of Gore who assisted in the project, Dr. Anderson Spickard, said that although Gore chartered the flight, "we'll decide who pays for it later."

Spickard also remarked that originally the plane was to take two flights that day, but flight delays forestalled that plan.  The plane will leave Knoxville Saturday evening, he said, to make another aid flight on Sunday.

*
Disasters and accidents Hurricane season, 2005 United States Louisiana Tennessee Al Gore Knoxville, Tennessee