District IX - 2006/12

MY WARMEST holiday greetings to all! As
I have traveled the district, I’m blown away
by the camaraderie and friendships I have
developed during the last couple of years. You
people are great!
In my mind, this time of year is all about
kids and for that reason I offer two great,
heart-warming articles about how our District
IX clubs go out of their way to introduce this
wonderful hobby to our youth.
Gary Hodges from the Miniature Aero
Sportsters (MAS) club located in the Denver,
Colorado, area wrote about a great event the
club hosts for kids. Thanks for sharing, Gary!
“Ever year MAS hosts a one-day special
for just the kids in the community. MAS
Kids’ Day helps create an opportunity for
young people to learn, and a possible outlet
for them to use. For the past seven years MAS
has hosted Kids’ Day with the support of
Adams County, designed to give the county’s
youth a chance to fly RC airplanes.
“MAS hosts two such events each summer
in an effort to offer an alternative to drugs and
violence. Our last Kids Day was June 10,
2006. More than 40 kids came out to the field
for a day of flying and food. MAS contacts
local schools, churches, and Boy Scout groups
to get the word out about Kids’ Day.”
The kids enjoyed the MAS ground school.
Jeff Renz and Dianne Basta wrote this article
about how rubber-powered model building is
alive and well in Kansas City!
“Yes, even with computer games and other
entertainment-driven activities competing for
the time of kids and adults alike, people will
show up to build model airplanes!
“Dean Jernigan, head of the Science City
Museum at Kansas City’s Union Station,
recently invited the Heart of America Free
Flight Association (HAFFA) to conduct a
model-airplane demonstration at Union
Station. Mike Basta, our HAFFA vice
president, and Katherine Patterson-Peralto, the
Union Station’s event coordinator, organized
the AMA Cub building and flying session
held on Saturday, March 4, 2006. Other
members of HAFFA who made this event
successful included Carl Perkins, David
Gibson, Bob Kochersperger, Gary Hodson,
Lynn Chaffee, Jeff Renz, and Tem Johnson.
“The train station has been rebuilt to its
original state with the addition of museums,
shops, and restaurants. This beautiful location
offered modelers a chance to fly indoors
under the 65-foot ceiling of the main hall. The
event was successful and I’m sure many of
the kids as well as our club members will
remember it for years to come.
“Hopefully we sparked an interest in
model aviation in some of the kids that will
influence them in the future. Another event is
tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2006.”
Gary Hodson looks on as mom and kids have a
ball with the rubber-powered airplanes.
A new shelter rises over Bismarck, North
Dakota. This summer I had the opportunity to
visit with my North Dakota associate vice
president, Troy Lapp, and see his club’s new
shelter. The following is Troy’s report.
“Here is what we’ve been working on all
spring! Members of the Missouri Slope Model
Aero Club of Bismarck, North Dakota, had
our first event at the field last weekend: the
North Dakota State Skids Up Heli Fun-Fly.
Although the weather couldn’t have been
much worse, it was quite enjoyable with the
new improvements!
“The shelter is complete; all the concrete
work is done, trees are planted, flagpoles
installed, power has been run to the shelter,
shed, and camper hookups, and the pit tables
are installed with power supplied to them as
well. Now it is time to kick back and fly!
“The first official event is the kickoff of the
North Dakota Prairie Rose State Games on
July 14. We are part of the opening ceremony
and if it goes
as planned we
will have a
Blackhawk
land at the field
and bring us
our American
Flag, raise it with the North Dakota National
Guard present, and the games will begin! We
are excited to be part of all this. We have
worked hard and dug deep to pull this off.
Other than a few little glitches (that means
over budget) it is all according to plan.”
One of the top-notch RC clubs in the Kansas
City area is the Shawnee Mission Radio
Control Club (SMRCC). For several years,
the club has held its City Wide Fun-Fly which
is always a bunch of fun. Club treasurer Wade
Atkinson sent in this report.
“SMRCC held its annual City Wide Fun-
Fly on September 16, 2006. With winds
gusting more than 20 mph, we were
pleasantly surprised with the great turnout.
Prizes valued at more than $1,500 were given
out to fliers and
through a raffle.
They included
several ARFs and
kits.
“We appreciate
the great support
we have received
this year from local
vendors and
national
companies. This
kind of a turnout it shows that the Kansas City
area has a strong RC presence.”
That’s it for this month. A modeling buddy of
mine and I took a week-long road trip up to
Minot, North Dakota, which I’ll begin to
share with you next month. Until then, have
fun and keep in touch! Mark.
District IX
Mark Smith, District IX Vice President; [email protected]
Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming
Mark Smith
Vice President
14632 W. 50th St.,
Shawnee KS 66216
Tel.: (913) 568-4347
www.amadistrict-ix.org
Associate Vice
Presidents
Max Hansen, Huron SD;
[email protected]
H. Michael Harrington, Ft.
Collins CO; wdal@
lamar.colostate.edu
Fred Hildebrand, Casper WY;
[email protected]
Troy Lapp, Bismarck ND;
[email protected]
Travis McGinnis, Arvada CO;
[email protected]
Brenda Schuette, Auburn KS;
[email protected]
Jerry Tuttle, Olathe KS;
[email protected]
John Van Brocklin, Hastings NE;
[email protected]
Webmaster: Jim Shaw,
[email protected]
Contest Coordinators:
Mike Tallman, Wichita KS; miketallman@
webtv.net
Judy Gerken, Denver CO;
[email protected]
Frequency Coordinator: Steve
Mangles, Denver CO;
[email protected]
District IX Volunteers
SMRCC president Craig
Brown and CD Rich
Waeltermann.
184 MODEL AVIATION