AMA News: District VIII - 2008/01
Message from the AVP
I can't believe I have been in office for a year. What an eventful year it has been. I have been to Muncie, Indiana, four times; to Ontario, California, for the AMA Convention; to Toledo, Ohio; and I have flown in every state in District VIII at least once. I have attended 22 events and read hundreds of club newsletters.
As I travel I see the grassroots of our association: the club officers and volunteers running events as well as modelers doing what they love and do best—enjoying each other's company at the flying field. If it weren't for that, this volunteer job that I have would be the pits.
The people who contact me by email and telephone are generally perturbed about something and I get the feeling that modelers are in miserable spirits. Then I go to contests, fly-ins, swap meets, and club meetings and I can see that the majority of the members are still enjoying the sport and that keeps me going.
Thanks to all who help run this volunteer organization with your personal time and energy; you make it all worthwhile!
AVP change — New Mexico
We have a new associate vice president (AVP) for New Mexico. Mark Johnston has agreed to step up and fill the position because Buzz Averill is retiring.
Buzz doesn't recall exactly how many years he has done the job but says he has been an AVP since 1972 except for the 10 years or so that Jim Simpson did the job. No matter how you cut it, he has put many years into that volunteer role. Thanks for all you have done for AMA and New Mexico modelers, Buzz!
Mark works at Sandia National Labs as a computer systems analyst. He has been a member of AMA since 1994; however, he has been building and flying models and rockets since he was young. His interests include:
- CL (control line)
- FF (free flight)
- RC sport
- RC Combat
- Pattern
- Competition Fun Fly
- Indoor electrics
- RC helicopters (both glow and electric)
Mark is a CD (contest director) and is currently serving as a club officer/board member with two clubs. He looks forward to going to other club events and meeting new fliers. Since he lives closer to the El Paso area than I do, I have asked him to cover that part of Texas, too.
Thanks to both of these fine gentlemen for all they do to help our organization run.
Events
The 24th Annual Big Bird Fly-In in Shreveport, Louisiana, was a big success. I wasn't provided any pictures with people in them, but the airplanes are beautiful.
The Tulsa Glue Dobbers' annual CL contest in September was a great success. I have included some great pictures of the modelers and their airplanes. You can see more on the galleries page of the District VIII website at www.AMA-Dist-8.org.
Farewell to Dave Brown
As the year ends, so ends the long and eventful tenure of Dave Brown, president of AMA. He has been on the Executive Council for 28 years, the last 12 as our president. That is a lifetime spent volunteering for AMA.
He has helped the AMA grow in ways and places probably even he did not dream of. His institutional knowledge and experience will be missed, but he can now take a break and enjoy his wife Sally and his hobby even more. Thanks for what both of you have done for our association and hobby. Godspeed, Dave and Sally Brown.
Closing
Have fun and fly safely. See you on the flightline!
Jim
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
