Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Who Said That?

"I'm in the blimp. I'm in the Goodyear blimp."

-- Erik Cavanagh of Fort Lauderdale

While the Goodyear blimp's main duties may be flashing its employer's logo and ferrying television cameras over major sporting events, it also moonlights as a charity fundraiser. And boy, is it good at its job.

One-hour flights aboard the Spirit of Innovation — the official name for the blimp based at Pompano Beach — netted almost $205,000 last year for 135 South Florida nonprofits that auctioned off the privilege to 322 passengers. That's the highest total among Goodyear's three airships, including the ones stationed near Los Angeles and Akron, Ohio, which brought in a total of more than $450,000 in 2012.

Read more at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.