Hello, my name is Sonja Burns and I am the founder of Air Companions, Inc.
In the past 50 plus years technology has progressed, it seems, almost at the speed of light. And, consequently the world has become very small. Literally thousands of people from practically every nation fly to a multitude of places everyday. Taking a plane to get to one's desired destination has, for the most part, become a time and cost efficient way to travel, and second nature to many. I say "for the most part" because, even in these times of high technology many people have great difficulty getting to where they want to go. Let's face it; air travel can be quite intimidating. And matters are often much more complicated when a person is disabled in some way or just plain afraid of flying. Sometimes these people may need more than just a helping hand; they need someone to guide them through all the ins and outs and pit falls of traveling. You might say they could use a guardian angel at their side. And that's where Air Companions comes in. We want to be your guardian angels in the air.
Before I go on to tell you about me I want to tell you a little story about my dear grandparents, Grammie Ruth and Grampa Nate. For several of their retirement years they resided on the east coast of Florida. Sadly, my grandfather was diagnosed with terminal cancer and they made the decision to move back to Maine to be near family. When my grandparents flew back to Maine I went to Florida to accompany them as my grandfather was quite ill. Shortly after returning home my sweet grandfather passed away. Several years later when Grammie was 80 years old she traveled back to Florida to visit old friends for a week or so. Grammie had always been a very independent and capable woman. But, since she was traveling alone she felt somewhat vulnerable and decided to pay the extra expense for an airport escort. For some reason, the escort never materialized and Grammie had to find her way alone. In the Florida airport, that she was flying out of to go home, she had to take an escalator to the lower level. Somehow Grammie tripped and fell the entire length of the escalator. Miraculously, she did not break any bones or sustain severe injuries. But, my dear grandmother was never the same again. That terrible fall really traumatized her and her health steadily failed over the next few years. She passed away at 83 years old. She's been gone about 10 years now and I miss her still. I believe that both of my grandparents' last experiences with flying were the seeds of my business, Air Companions, Inc.
“Your caring and kindness have made a lasting impression on me." Robbie D.
Now a little about me....I am a Licensed Practical Nurse with extensive qualifications, education and experience which has uniquely prepared me to start this business of accompanying and assisting those who need extra attention and care when they are traveling. I have current certificates in CPR and First Aid. I have taken the required training in the state of Maine to care for the developmentally disabled. It is called Direct Support Professional or DSP. I have also traveled fairly extensively over the years. Some of the places I have been include Poland, Ukraine, Cuba, Canada, Germany, the Bahamas, and many of our wonderful 50 states including Hawaii.
Taking care of people is at my core. As a teenager I completed a Certified Nurses' Aide course and started working in a local nursing home. A few years later I went on to work at a local hospital as a CNA. Through that hospital I was given the opportunity to go to nursing school. After school I went on to be a charge nurse at the nursing home where I had started out as a CNA. My career then led to me to the regional Area Agency on Aging. There I worked as case manager and became quite adept in accessing government subsidized programs on behalf of people over 60 years of age who lived at home but had unmet needs. Those needs ran the gamut of home repair to home health care to assistance in paying for heat and food. Also, during my time at the AAA I had the opportunity to be the director of a couple of Senior Centers in the area. These Senior Centers offered on-site midday meals, activities, adult day programs and a meals on wheels service to the community. Eight years later I went on to work for another Area Agency on Aging as an administrator of an assisted living senior apartment complex. During my time there I successfully managed a staff, a budget and the overall wellbeing of the residents. That job led me to another opportunity to serve as the director of a multilevel senior living community. In addition to this, for the past 20 years I have been self employed. I have taken people into my home to live and be cared for as if they were part of my family. In recent years I have welcomed several developmentally disabled people into my home, including, but not limited to, a severely autistic young man and a middle aged woman with Down's Syndrome. I believe this 30 plus years of work experience gives me the versatility, patience, and understanding to work with, and care for people of varying needs while accompanying them to their desired destination.
In addition to my career I am also committed to my surrounding community. When my children were growing up I was a member of the PTA and a den mother for each of my boys when they became cub scouts. I spent several years serving on a committee in my town that put on a yearly festival for the town in order to raise money for the betterment of the community. For 2 or 3 years I assisted my parents in putting on a barbeque for all the cattlemen and their families at the Windsor Fair. I have a strong faith in God and have always been involved with my church. Presently, I am a Sunday School teacher for all the children between the ages of 5 and 12 who attend my small country church. For the past 4 years I have served on the board of 63 Washington Street in Camden. For the past 3 years I have been the president of the board. 63 Washington Street has operated for over 100 years as a nonprofit assisted living home for 6 senior citizens. My great grandmother once served on the board. I am also an avid gardener. I love to cook for large family gatherings. I also enjoy reading and watching movies. And, of course, I love to travel.
I am happily married and live with my husband in a beautiful little village near the coast of Maine. I have 3 grown children of whom I am enormously proud. My daughter and my youngest son are married and, so far, between them, have given me 3 adorable grandchildren. Tragically, my oldest son, Vinny, died in July 2008. His passing has left a big hole in our lives. We miss him endlessly. He was a world traveler and multilingual and he loved adventure. At the time of his death Vinny worked in the Middle East as a translator.
The accumulation of my work and life experiences has brought me to this point and I am excited, as the founder of Air Companions, to serve you and your loved ones as if you were a part of my family. I understand that references are important and I will gladly submit my references upon request. I pledge that each person will be treated with the utmost kindness, respect and compassion when Air Companions, Inc. accompanies you to your destination. Just think of us as your guardian angels in the air. Contact Air Companions today and let us take the worry out of your travel plans.
Take care and I hope to see you in the air!
Sonja Burns
