Established in 2023 in memory of Maureen Tonge.

Established in 1994, the Midnight Sun Fly In was a biennial celebration that brought pilots and aviation enthusiasts from around the world to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Nestled on the shores of Great Slave Lake, the event honored the region’s rich aviation heritage while providing a unique opportunity for camaraderie, adventure, and exploration under the summer’s endless daylight.The event was the brainchild of Yvonne Quick, who founded the Midnight Sun Fly In Association alongside Roger Zarudski, Mike Stevens, Mike Piro, and Jeff Rocher. Their vision transformed Yellowknife into a hub for aviation festivities, attracting visitors eager to share in the spirit of flight and celebrate the community’s deep connection to the skies.Over the years, the Fly In became renowned for its vibrant program of activities, which included rig exhibitions, fly-out picnics, scavenger hunts, presentations, hangar tours, and lively feasts with entertainment. These events fostered a sense of community among attendees while showcasing the unique character of northern aviation.The Midnight Sun Fly In hosted its fifteenth and final gathering from July 6–9, 2023, capping off three decades of friendships forged in the thrill of aviation. Though the event has come to an end, its legacy lives on as a cherished chapter in the story of northern aviation and the community that grew around it.The Midnight Sun Aviation Fund wishes to honour the following pioneers of aviation in the North:Jim AdamsNeil J. ArmstrongPeter AustinFrank AveryRay BaertClem BekarJohn BidwellErnie BoffaKenn BorekEustace BowhayW. Leigh BritnellMatthew Aaron BromleyDaryle Ray BrownNorman Charles Muffitt (Bush)Norman ByrneMerlyn CarterCarl ClouterJ.C. Armstrong (Corky)Bruce Edward CornockAndrew CruickshankWayne DeakonMike DemeltC.H. (Punch) DickinsTom DownesJoyce DunphySteve EnglandBob (Robert Parsons) EngleJim EsbickGeorge Harold “Mike” FinlandDave FloydBarry FrainElmer FullertonHuby GauqueCapt. Stan GitzelGeorge GormanBill GranleyDuncan GrantPaul HagadornDon HamiltonDavid Henry HareMarten HartwellCliff HealeyBob (Robert Murray) HeathBill HettrickHenry HicksBob JensenTrevor JonassonWalter (D.W.) KellyHank KoenanMike KrutkoCam LancasterDon LandellsPaul William LaserichWilly LaserichGordon MacleodCedric MahBobbie MarkleW.R. (Wop) MayChuck McAvoyJames McAvoyChuck McLarenStanley Ransom McMillanArchibald Major McMullenRon MoeRick Muyres (Derick David)Bob O’ConnerFrank O’ConnorTed OliverMyron Dale Alfred OlsonDanny PagottoRocky ParsonsMike PiroWarren PlummerMark RangerLorne RankinLen RobinsonChuck RossPaul RossetBlair RutherfordBob RyanArnie (Arnold Roderick) SchrederManley Allen ShowalterJim SmithBruce SprungNicole Francis StaceyMike StevensKen StockallKeith SylvesterDale TingleyJim TownsendJohn TumchewicsKevin WangMax WardGlenn Boyd WarnerJason WattTony WattierDana WentzelJake WoolgarIf there is a pilot you believe should be added to this list, please reach out to information@ykcf.ca

The Milo Martin Memorial Fund honours Milo, a widely known and deeply missed member of our community. Milo was an exceptionally engaged Yellowknifer: he founded and played drums for his band Frog Poison, was an avid snowboarder and cross country skier and employee of the Bristol Pit, was an aspiring mechanic, tabletop gamer, participant in community theatre, and champion of the rights of new immigrants, LGBTQIA+, and people of colour. Milo felt strongly about inclusion, and this scholarship has been established by his friends and family to honour inclusion and his legacy of community involvement.

Karen Gochnauer moved to Yellowknife in the early 1990s to work as a geologist. Karen had a deep love for dance, music, and community. Her love of dance extended to all forms including Scottish Country, Modern, Jazz, Hip-hop, Ballet, and, for a break, just moving to music at parties and festivals. Karen was an inspiration to the Yellowknife dance community and was always generous with her time and energy as a teacher and mentor. There was never a community event, whether dance, arts, or community-related, that Karen did not find time to attend with her infectious smile.Karen passed away in 2024 surrounded by friends and the love of family, after an all too brief battle with cancer. This fund honours her memory, and will support organizations in Yellowknife and across the NWT to promote dance, music, and community.

In memory of pilots John Bidwell, Jim Smith, and Matthew Bromley. John Ernest Bidwell  Born in Scotland, John came to the NWT for the first time in 1981 flying a single Twin Otter for Lamb Air. Over the years he worked for La Ronge Aviation, Latham Island Airways and operated Imperial Aviation and then flew as a contract pilot for North-Wright Airways, Arctic Sunwest and Adlair Aviation Ltd. He became the base manager and chief pilot for Summit Air in Yellowknife. His life was taken in a tragic accident near Port Radium NWT, on October 8, 2000. James Smith  Jim grew up in Winnipeg, and moved to Rankin Inlet in the 1970s to fly for Keewatin Air. Jim stayed in Rankin Inlet for seven years, moved to Churchill to fly King Airs and DC-4s for Air Manitoba. In the late ‘80s he worked for Kenn Borek Air, landing the first DC-4 on wheels in Antarctica. He was Chief Pilot for Buffalo Airways when he died in December 2003. Matthew Bromley  Matthew Bromley grew up in Yellowknife and always wanted to fly. He was a recipient of the GNWT aviation bursary and learned to fly at the Aurora College flight school in Fort Smith. In August of 2004, he began to work at Air Tindi. Like many pilots he started on the ramps and with cargo. Over time he moved up to flying and became certified to pilot multi-engine aircraft on skis and floats. Matthew lost his life in a tragic accident 40 km from Lutsel K’e on the afternoon of August 4, 2011.

The Northern Legacy Fund, established in 2023 and launched publicly in 2024, is designed to support a variety of charitable needs across the Northwest Territories. This fund will soon provide grants to organizations working to strengthen and enhance communities throughout the territory.From 2024 until 2028, the Yellowknife Community Foundation is running a fundraising campaign for the Northern Legacy Fund, with a goal of reaching $3 million.The Northern Legacy Fund exists alongside the Yellowknife Community Impact Fund, the Foundation’s longstanding unrestricted endowment fund that focuses on supporting a wide range of needs in Yellowknife.