Who better to serve as Co-Chairs of Flight For Freedom 2006 than Sho and Loen Dozono, who provided the inspiration and leadership for the original Flight For Freedom?

When the economy was rocked by the events of September 11 and Americans were frozen with fear, Sho and Loen started thinking about how to get America moving again. Those familiar words in America The Beautiful—from sea to shining sea—kept going through Loen's mind, and she wondered what would happen if a group of Oregonians were to show their "pioneer spirit" and head for New York to support their fellow countrymen a continent away.

At the time, Sho was serving as Chair of the Portland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and he started making some calls to his Chamber contacts and other civic leaders. A number of them signed on to help develop Loen's idea of extending a hand of friendship from sea to shining sea and to get America moving again. Flight For Freedom was born.

Sho, who owns several companies including Azumano Travel, took charge of the air and hotel arrangements for the group, which soon mushroomed into 1,000 strong. He re-hired staff he'd just had to lay off and recruited former employees, as well as his own family members, to volunteer their time.  The rest, as they say, is history.

In putting together Flight For Freedom 2006, Sho and Loen are joined by many of the same organizers, sponsers and distinguished political leaders who were the driving force behind the original Flight For Freedom and who, once again, have so generously volunteered their time, talents and remarkable energy.