Advocating for Veterans: Supporting Gary McCracken’s Fight for Recognition
The Rick Mantei Charitable Fund remains deeply committed to supporting veterans and ensuring they receive the care and recognition they’ve earned. Recently, Rick Mantei accompanied Vietnam-era veteran Gary McCracken to meet with Congressman Joe Wilson, advocating for the benefits and justice Gary has fought decades to secure. Gary’s story is one of courage and perseverance. […]
Fly For Foundations: Blountville, September 20, 2025
Fly For Foundations 350 Aviation Dr, Blountville, TN 37663(Go to Tri-City Aviation, not the commercial terminal) September 20, 2025 – Tri-Cities Regional Airport Get A Sneak Peek We’re proud to announce the success of our recent Fly For Foundations event on September 20th, held at Tri-Cities Regional Airport in Blountville, Tennessee. Attendees had the rare […]
Remembering Maj. Gen. Thomas Frederick Rew (1922–2025)
A Life of Service, Faith, and Flight The Rick Mantei Charitable Fund joins the community in remembering the extraordinary life of Maj. Gen. Thomas Frederick Rew (USAF, Ret.), who passed away on October 12, 2025, at the age of 103. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1922, Maj. Gen. Rew devoted his life to service, […]
The Rick Mantei Charitable Fund Honors WWII Veteran Bruce Cook
The Rick Mantei Charitable Fund was honored to celebrate Bruce Cook’s 100th birthday, recognizing his remarkable service as a B-17 Flying Fortress turret gunner during World War II. Bruce recently joined the Fund at its Fly For Foundations event at Eagle Aviation, where he shared his experiences as a veteran and lifelong aviation enthusiast. His […]
A Perfect End To The School Year
‘A perfect end to the school year’ By Tyler Meister – There is nothing quite like fulfilling a dream. There is a swelling of pride as you fulfill your long-term goal, an overwhelming sense of accomplishment or excitement that fills your chest, accompanied by a fleeting bittersweet feeling of needing to move onto the next […]
Rick Mantei Flies To Tuscon For 91st Birthday Of Col. Storey To Present Picture Of His Life In Person
On Saturday, March 19th, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Rick Mantei took a very special trip from South Carolina to Tuscon, Arizona, to visit a mentor he hadn’t seen in 46 years. That man is Lt. Colonel Thomas Gordon Storey, who not only instructed Mantei at the U.S. Air Force Academy, but who is also […]
Rick Mantei Donates Time And Money To Veterans In Hospice
CHAPIN, S.C. (WIS) -November is National Veterans and Military Families month, and it is also Hospice Month. Here in the Midlands, one retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel has donated his time to veterans in hospice – and giving back so much more. Rick Mantei and his 13-year-old daughter Sara Mantei volunteer with Homestead Hospice out […]
Rick Mantei Donates To Prisma Health Children’s Hospital-Midlands
Lisa, Scarlett & Rick Mantei bought nearly 100 toys and stuffed animals, which were presented to about 75 child patients at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital–Midlands at 7 Richland Medical Park on Saturday, December 24, 2022. Prisma Health Children’s Hospital–Midlands, located in Columbia, is South Carolina’s first children’s hospital and has more than 150,000 children’s visits […]
Stearman Flight Auctioned for the benefit of the Guns Garin Foundation
Rick Mantei donated flights in his historic PT-17 Stearman to benefit the Guns Garin Memorial Foundation. The Foundation has a two fold mission to support military families in need and promote youth education and training in the field of aviation. Founded in 2020, after the sudden death of Swamp Fox F-16 pilot, Major Rick “Guns” […]
Tom Rew 100th Birthday + Joe Wilson
Congressman Joe Wilson attended the 100th birthday celebration for Major General Tom Rew, that Rick hosted at his hangar in Camden, SC. Joe was given a Stearman model to commemorate the milestone event. Rick was invited to Joe’s office on 6/10/2022 as a thank you for the model and the event for General Rew.