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Sky Ark was founded in April 2003 by Cara and Mickey Russell, two ordinary people with an extraordinary passion to help animals. Sky Ark began with financial backing from the Russells but is now supported through private, foundation and corporate donations, and occasional special projects. Mickey graduated in 1994 from Metropolitan State College of Denver with a degree in Aerospace Science and was hired by the college one week later to continue the work he had begun on the school's program. He was responsible for oversight of an FAA grant that was used for upgrading and adding to the Flight Simulation Lab and DC-10, Beech 1900 and Piper Navajo flight simulator at the college. Articles about these accomplishments can be found in several magazines, newspapers and through TV news coverage. These include the Dallas Morning News, Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News, LA Times, The New York Daily News, ABC News, CBS News, NBC News, CNN and General Aviation News Magazine and Aviation Week and Space Technology. Mickey left Metropolitan State College of Denver in 1999 to start Russell Aviation and Sky Ark Inc in 2003. Mickey spends his free time with his wife, Cara, and his son, Casey. When he has extra time, he volunteers at the Buena Vista Heritage Museum and operates the model railroad trains there. Cara has over 12 years experience with nonprofits and is the executive director of the museum. She is also the Mayor of Buena Vista Colorado and an active Cub Scout leader.