District IX Report - 2009/09
This year, AMA gave away more than $32,000 to clubs that participated in the Flying Site Development/Improvement Grant Program. The Laramie, Wyoming, Barnstormers, here in District IX, were awarded $1,000 to assist in the club’s runway-installation project.
Associate Vice President (AVP) Fred Hildebrand and I were able to present the check to the club under somewhat unusual circumstances. Fred, who lives in Casper, Wyoming, journeyed to Laramie to have a knee replaced, as well as hand over the well-deserved check.
This is multitasking at its best! Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, nor knee replacement keeps AMA AVPs from delivering the grant check.
Dan St. John, president of the Love-Air Club in Ft. Collins, Colorado, reports:
“We had a huge spectator turnout on Saturday at the Jet Rally. All I can say is wow! After the rain we received on Memorial Day weekend, I was sweating bullets, however, the skies cleared and we had three great days.
“During the Jet Rally the club was pleased to host AMA District IX Vice President (VP) Jim Wallen, and the Colorado AVP Bruce Ream. Jim and Bruce were here to present the club with our Five Year Gold Leader Club award.
“Both Bruce and Jim were very impressed with our club field. Of course, the rain really helped and we actually had grass growing! Both commented to me that they would like to come up and fly with us later in the summer.
“I want to thank Michael Harrington for helping the club reach this level of accomplishment. He is the person who pointed out that we were doing 95% of the necessary things to attain Gold Level status and he has kept us at the Gold Level.”
An AMA election is coming up. You should be receiving your ballot in the mail in September to vote on your choice for district vice president. Don’t throw your ballot in the “circular file.” Exercise your right to vote and send your ballot in.
Keep the sunscreen on and the cancer off!
Club Corner:
Have you ever wondered what was going on with some of the other clubs in your area? Perhaps you were looking for a schedule of events from one of them. Maybe you heard a rumor about some issues they were having and wondered if it was true. You might have been looking for a fresh perspective on the proposed regulations that the FAA was putting forth.
Back in 1979, a small group of proactive modelers in the Denver area rounded up representatives from the other area clubs and talked about issues they have in common. The organizers included:
- Travis McGinnis
- Jim Shaw
- Judy Gerkin
- Nat Lancaster
- Jim Roucis
First and foremost on their agenda was to discuss potential flying sites. Some things never change!
The Denver Metro Area Council is still active today and conducts a meeting twice each year. The last breakfast meeting attracted 20 representatives from 15 clubs in the Denver area.
Maybe a get-together of some local clubs in your area could have some benefit. You would be surprised at how much our clubs have in common, not to mention the opportunity to chat and tell our “war stories.”
Till then.
Jim Wallen
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
