District II - 2012/02

162 MODEL AVIATION
OUTGOING DISTRICT II Vice President,
Gary Fitch, is handing over the reins. He
wrote:
“It is still November as I write this to let
District II members know I have assumed the
duties of executive vice president as of
January 1, 2012. I owe a great deal to District
II in the many friends I have made during the
last four years. I want to thank you for letting
me be part of your hobby/sport and for all of
the support you have given me, including
your votes.
“I have asked one of my associate vice
presidents (AVP), Eric Williams, to step up
and become the interim vice president for the
district. Many of you already know Eric, and
for those of you who don’t, he is an intellect,
a modeler, and a person who deeply cares
about our members, clubs, and pastime. I
know you will show Eric the same courtesy
you did me.
“In the meantime, I will still be in the
region but working nationally, supporting the
president. My door, so to speak, is always
open to each of you should you have any
questions or needs. I leave you in great
hands!”
—Gary Fitch
AMA EVP
Aeromodelers are resilient. Hurricane Irene
devastated many Northeast communities last
fall. One such community was picturesque
Schoharie, New York. Disastrous flooding
damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes in
the upstate county. The Schoharie Valley
Crop Dusters (SVCD) RC club was not
spared. Anything that could float was swept
away. The club also sustained runway and
entry road damage.
The SVCD wasted no time and everyone
pitched in. Nearby clubs offered their fields
during rebuilding. Work parties built new pit
stands, replaced fences, and the club’s
salvaged tractor was rebuilt by club vice
president, Jay Mattice.
With the help of an AMA Club Disaster
Relief Grant, the field was flyable again. At
the club's reopening fun-fly, member Gerald
Havery, who lost his home in the flooding,
stopped by for food, flying, and friendship.
This is what model aviation is all about!
Several AMA clubs applied for and
received Disaster Relief Grants following
Hurricane Irene. AMA has numerous
programs to help promote, support, and build
your club. Information about these programs
is available on AMA’s website at www.
modelaircraft.org under the Education, and
Members and Clubs sections.
Take advantage of these great AMA
programs!
Swap meet season is in full-swing. Swap
meets are a good way to raise funds for your
club or local charities, and a great way to
meet new friends.
Two long-running, successful District II
events this past November were the Whitman
Flyers swap meet in Mellville, New York,
and the Garden State Circle Burners (GSCB)
swap meet in Wayne, New Jersey.
The Whitman event is always a success.
Club President Steve Robinson and his
helpers did great. “Tablemaster” Frank
Mauceri squeezed in extra tables to
accommodate the sellout.
The GSCB swap meet also was wellattended.
CSCB President Ron Testa and his
crew put on another great swap meet. Be sure
to put these events on your calendar this fall!
Important news: The 44th annual WRAM
Show will be moving to an exciting new
venue: the Meadowlands Exposition Center
in Secaucus, New Jersey. The event will be
held February 24-26, 2012. Find out more at
www.wram.org.
AMA’s new EVP helping a fellow modeler.
District II thanks you, Gary.
Eric Williams, Whitman Flyers president;
Steve Robinson, vice president; Avey Shaw,
member Bobby Grassick; and District II AVP
Dennis Andreas.
Bob Lampione, 1969 Nats champion, at the
Garden State Circle Burners swap meet.
SVCD President Jim Burghart gives a thumbs
up as Eric Williams presents an AMA Club
Disaster Relief Grant.
Eric Williams
4242 Amanda Ln.,
Schenectady NY 12303;
Tel.: (518) 356-2057
www.amadistrictii.org
Associate Vice Presidents
Dennis Andreas, Freeport NY;
(516) 379-0135;
[email protected]
Tom Bickford, Tupper Lake NY;
(518) 359-2218;
[email protected]
Sal Calvagna, Holbrook NY;
(631) 737-6327; ncalvagn@
suffolk.lib.ny.us
Gene Gavin, Staten Island NY;
(718) 967-0598;
[email protected]
Bill Hauth, Hamburg NY;
(716)649-8582;
[email protected]
Joe Sarbello, Woolrich Township
NJ; (856) 491-8481;
[email protected]
Alexander Szemere, Kendall
Park NJ; (732) 821-5641;
[email protected]
RC Contest Coordinator:
Jim Goodemote, Allegany NY;
(716) 372-1137
Safety Coordinator: Al Kanser,
New Lisbon NY; (607) 293-7974;
[email protected]
For a complete listing of
district officers and volunteers,
please visit the District I1 Web site
or see a previous issue of MA.
District II Volunteers
District II
Eric Williams, District II Vice President; [email protected]
New Jersey, New York, Europe
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