In 2016, an 8-year-old Evan Bate of Johnsburg went with his family and their dog to the “Planes & Puppies Young Eagles Rally” event at Galt Airport and discovered what his life’s passion would be: flying airplanes.

Bate, who said he always liked watching airplanes cross the sky, went flying in a Cessna 172 Skyhawk single-engine airplane for the first time that day and said, “It felt like a lot of freedom came with it. ... I was inspired [to be a pilot] by that event. We went up and it was really cool.”

At 15, he started flying lessons with JB Aviation at Galt Airport which is located near Wonder Lake. Today, at 17, the Johnsburg High School senior is about to finish his private pilot license certification. This will allow him to continue flying and earn hours toward his commercial license.

With a scholarship from Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 932 at Galt, Bate is preparing to attend Montana State University, where he will pursue a degree in professional flight.

From 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Oct. 4, the 12th annual, free event will offer pre-registered children, ages 8 to 17, the chance to experience flying in small-engine planes. Attendees also will meet foster puppies available for adoption, said Justin Cleland, manager of Galt Airport and co-owner of JB Aviation, which teaches flying at Galt.

He said the idea behind the event is to “give youth an opportunity to see what aviation is all about.”

Much like Bate, Cleland said that “most professional pilots found their love for flying at an event like this, and at an airport like Galt.”

Cleland said this fall marks 20 years working at Galt, “and there are now airline captains that got their first taste at events like this.”

But the day isn’t just about flying. There will be dogs too.

K9s4U, a rescue based in McHenry, is bringing 10 puppies named after aviators and five or six dogs. K9s4U is an “in-home, foster-based” rescue, meaning there is no permanent shelter. So the operators rely on foster families taking the animals into their homes, said Tammie Dungjen, of McHenry, director of the rescue.

Dungjen said she has dozens of foster families across multiple counties including McHenry, Lake, Kane and Cook counties. But, said she needs more fosters so she can save more dogs and puppies. The shelter also asks attendees for donations of cash and pet supplies, including leashes, collars and bowls. The rescue also has a wishlist on Amazon. Donations help cover some of the shelter’s expenses so operators can use other resources to treat sick dogs, she said.

Adoption fees range from $300 to $500, depending on the age of the dog. Puppies 8 weeks to 2 years old are $500. Puppies will come with a voucher for neutering or spaying if needed, as well as initial puppy shots including rabies. All dogs will be microchipped, she said.

“It’s really amazing when you can partner with local places to help the dogs get seen,” Dungjen said adding dog adoption “right now is very slow.”

Adoption forms can be found at k9s4U.org.