On September 14 at Kapowsin Air Sports’ Fun Jumper Weekend in Shelton, Washington, Northwest Regional Director Luke Aikins presented John Mitchell, D-6462, with the USPA Regional Achievement Award for the Northwest Region. Mitchell, who began jumping in 1974, has mentored countless jumpers over the years and has participated in numerous Washington state formation skydiving records. Still a very active jumper and a regular at Skydive Kapowsin, Mitchell garners the love and respect of his peers for both his skydiving skill and his likeable personality. Peers have said that he’s “one of the faces you most look forward to seeing at the drop zone.” The citation on his award reads: “For being a mainstay in the Northwest skydiving community for more than 40 years as an instructor, organizer, fun jumper and mentor; for providing insight to jump pilots as an air traffic controller; and for organizing the annual Leap for Lupus charity boogie.”