Teams in North Bay pull 30,000-pound plane for United Way programs

Teams competed in United Way's plane pull at North Bay's airport on Thursday to raise more than $15,000 for local programs. Eric Taschner reports.

Pulling a plane for a good cause, nine teams of 10 people each were at North Bay’s Jack Garland Airport on Thursday morning for the annual United Way of North East Ontario plane pull.

Putting their muscles to the test, Team Enbridge didn’t need to strain to tug the 30,000-pound twin-jet engine aircraft.

“It’s all about pulling together as a team,” said puller Anna Iati.

Enbridge donated $5,000 to the plane pull.

“Giving back to where we live, work and play. That’s what it’s all about.”

In all, 32 teams had their chance to pull the plane 100 feet across the tarmac to the finish line to see who could bag the best time -- and bragging rights.

“We have nine teams this year,” Sandi Scott, Team Voyageur Aviation spokesperson, told CTV News. “It’s the most teams we’ve ever submitted.”

It was the first time Tana Corbeil was pulling the plane. She was on Team ‘Un-pull-evable,’ representing the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board.

“I tell everybody to put it out into the universe that we’re going to rock it,” Corbeil said.

By the time the pull began, United Way of North East Ontario collected more than $15,000 in donations. In the last eight years, the event has raised more than $50,000 for its community fund.

“We address gaps but also support programs that make a huge impact,” said Tamika Daniels, United Way’s regional manager of Nipissing-Parry Sound.

All money raised goes to programs in the community and within United Way, like the Keeping Seniors Warm and Ready for School programs.

“We fund the Elmwood Hub, we fund United for Literacy (and) we fund The PADDLE Program,” Daniels said.

“There’s a ton of other programs that we fund right now -- 11 to be exact.”

The teams said they enjoy showing off their strength, while at the same time tugging all that weight for dollars.