BANGOR – Penobscot County Special Olympics annual Fly-In fundraiser will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Bangor International Airport’s General Aviation Terminal.

The rain date is Oct. 5.

This annual event raises money for the benefit of area Special Olympians. Several pilots will be giving foliage sightseeing plane rides for $20 per person. While patrons wait for their turn to see the foliage from the air, there will be food and other activities for the whole family, Sharon Boucher of the airport’s marketing department said in a press release.

Penobscot County Special Olympics provides sports training and athletic competitions to children and adults with intellectual disabilities in Penobscot County and surrounding areas. The athletes have the opportunity to participate in soccer, basketball, 10-pin and candlepin bowling, aquatics, track and field, bocce ball, and winter games including Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and speed skating.

Area athletes have attended National and World Special Olympic Games. Most recently, they have participated in the Special Olympic World Summer Games in Shanghai, China. In 2009, two athletes from the Bangor area will be competing in the Special Olympic World Winter Games in Boise, Idaho.

Pilots donate their time and planes for this unique event, Boucher said. BIA will be giving the pilots a fuel discount for Saturday’s event to support their efforts.

For more information contact Boucher at sboucher@flybangor.com or call her at 207-992-4611.