District IX - 2010/10

152 MODEL AVIATION
BRUCE REAM, our associate vice president
(AVP) from Colorado submitted this update
on his flying club:
“The Jefco Aeromod’lers of Littleton,
Colorado, enjoys a special relationship with
the Chatfield State Park where our field is
located. Each year we invite the park rangers
and other park personnel to our field to try
their hands at RC flying. After a couple of
hours of flying, the club provides lunch for
everyone.
“During the year the rangers provide the
club with security for the events, the field, and
occasionally, if we have a person who comes
to our field and won’t obey the safety rules,
they handle the problem. What great service!
“Other personnel from the park plow the
road and parking areas, clean the toilets,
empty the trash (sometime a crashed
airplane), and help the club with new projects
at the field.
“This year we had almost perfect weather
and everybody who wanted time on the
buddy boxes got to fly. This gives each of
them a little better perspective of how hard it
is to fly and control the airplanes. When they
come to the field to enforce the rules, they
have a little better perspective of what the RC
flier may or may not have done.
“Jefco has a park-liaison person (Tom
Elliot) who meets with the park personnel
about once a month to see if there are any
issues that the park may have and, vice versa,
issues the club may have.
“The club also has a Long Range
Planning Committee that meets with the head
of the park about three times a year to go over
what the club is planning to do in future and
what approvals we may need for the projects
that are coming up. The club continues to
upgrade our facilities and the park is an
integral part of our success.”
Jefco fliers with park rangers developing a
great working relationship and having a lot of
fun as well.
District IX was fortunate this year to have
three clubs benefit from AMA’s Flying Site
Development Improvement Grant Program.
Crosswinds R/C Club in Castle Rock,
Colorado, was one of the proud recipients.
AMA awarded more than $32,000
nationwide. Congratulations!
District IX AVP Bruce Ream (R) presented
the Crosswinds award to (L-R) Frank Kaylor,
vice president; Denny Kordes, member at
large; Tim Kagele, president; and Larry
Falsetta, safety officer.
The Crosswinds club takes advantage of the
warm summer months by having its monthly
meetings at the flying site.
The 2010 RC Expo and Swap Meet was held
for the second year by the Arvada Associated
Modelers. This kind of event tends to grow
each year by word of mouth. This year was
no exception.
(L-R) Gene McMahan and Larry Howerter
take a look at some vintage stuff that Travis
McGinnis has brought to the 2010 RC Expo
and Swap Meet.
Jim Wallen
Vice President
7322 W. 82nd Way
Arvada CO 80003
Tel.: (303) 421-9061
www.amadistrict-ix.org
Associate Vice
Presidents
Steve Culver, Omaha NE;
[email protected]
Zac Heskin, Garrison ND;
[email protected]
Fred Hildebrand, Casper WY;
[email protected]
Bruce Ream, Highlands Ranch
CO; [email protected]
Brenda Schuette, Auburn KS;
[email protected]
Mike Tallman, Wichita KS;
[email protected]
Jim Tiller, Rapid City SD;
[email protected]
Webmaster: Norm Berger,
[email protected]
Contest Coordinator:
Mac Strader, Overland Park KS;
[email protected]
Frequency Coordinator:
Steve Mangles, Denver CO;
[email protected]
District IX Volunteers
District IX
Jim Wallen, District IX Vice President; [email protected]
Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming
Club Corner:
What do you think is the most
important thing that keeps our flying clubs
active and growing?
We all know that our clubs are the focal
point of some great social activity and a
great place to fly the projects that are our
pride and joy. Everything becomes
secondary however, if we do not maintain
and improve our flying sites.
Providing a safe, comfortable, and wellmaintained
site is the glue that holds the
club together. Without the field, clubs will
fade away.
AMA has recognized that the subject of
fundraising is important on both the local
and national level and funds the Flying Site
Development Improvement Grant Program.
Additionally, Chris Brooks at AMA
Headquarters has recently been promoted
to Public Relations and Development
Director. Chris has agreed to take on the
task of helping local clubs identify
fundraising opportunities.
If you or your club can offer some
creative ideas in addressing fundraising at
the local level, send Chris an e-mail so he
may share your thoughts with others. Chris
can be contacted at chrisb@modelair
craft.org.
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