District II Report - 2010/05
Gary Fitch, District II Vice President
- Email: [email protected]
- Region: New Jersey, New York, Europe
2010 is a year of change at AMA. Online sanctioning will soon become a reality. A new e-mail publication, AMA Today, sends items of interest — and offers — to our members. Another significant publication, especially for newsletter editors, is the AMA Insider, available on the AMA website. The majority of our members are Internet savvy, and providing these services electronically saves us a great deal of money. We are also going to be sending e-mails to our members with pertinent and interesting information. This isn’t junk mail; we are trying to engage our members.
District II has many great clubs that promote model aviation to our youth. Eric Williams, associate vice president (AVP), sent a note about the Watervliet Wind Warriors, a club that exemplifies this community focus. In memory of past member Tom Brown, who passed away in January 2009, they have continued his legacy by sponsoring the Tom Brown Youth Aviation Program.
Tom Brown Youth Aviation Program (Watervliet Wind Warriors)
This is a free aviation program held each spring. An initial assembly for approximately 250 children is held at the Watervliet Elementary School. The Wind Warriors provide a flying demonstration with various model planes and helicopters, with the goal of sparking aviation interest in our youth.
From this assembly, forms are sent home with fifth- and sixth-grade children who are interested in participating in a free six-week program that starts in mid-April. The children and instructors meet each Saturday.
- Typically about a dozen kids sign up.
- The Wind Warriors, with help from other area pilots, use RC airplanes to teach the children about aviation.
- Tom Brown left some of his aircraft to the group to support the program.
- The Wind Warriors hold an RC sale and show at the “Dome” each March. Admission is $5 to raise funds to purchase more aircraft for the program.
Staten Island RC Modelers — Minister of Fun
“Minister of Fun” — what a great club office the Staten Island RC Modelers (SIRCM) created. Isn’t fun what this hobby, sport, and recreational pastime should be about?
At the invitation of club president John Palestro, vice president and AMA AVP Gene Gavin, treasurer Jon Gerber, and secretary Gary Rosenthal, I attended the club’s annual Halloween Fun-Fly. Real estate on Staten Island is at a premium, and although the field is small by some standards, the flying by SIRCM members was spectacular, including Stryker combat.
Tom Abate is the club’s Minister of Fun and, with the help of his wife Megan, put on a fantastic event. Where else can you watch pilots fly through a series of maneuvers and then grab a balloon and try to break it by sitting on it? The competition was keen, and the laughter and companionship made for a thoroughly enjoyable event. All clubs should have a Minister of Fun!
Until next month, keep ’em in the green.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
