District IX Report - 2009/09

September 2009 171
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.
Fred Hildebrand, one day after knee
replacement, surrounded by Laramie
Barnstormers. Back row: Don Heiser, Charles
Kiefer, Gary Curry, Bill Wright, Sam Kotby;
(front) Roger Petroski and Jim Wallen.
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 welldeserved
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.
(L-R) Colorado AVP Bruce Ream and District
IX VP Jim Wallen presented the AMA Five
Year Gold Leader Club award to former
president Mark Smith; current president Dan
St. John; and former president H. Michael
Harrington.
Dan Underkofler with his sleek machine.
“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.
Little Zeke and Aaron Loertscher admiring
one of the jets.
“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 FAA was putting forth.
Back in 1979, a small group of
proactive modelers in the Denver area—
Travis McGinnis, Jim Shaw, Judy Gerkin,
Nat Lancaster, and Jim Roucis—rounded
up representatives from the other area clubs
and talked about issues they have in
common.
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
Vice President
7322 E. 82nd Way
Arvada CO 80003
Tel.: (303) 421-9061
www.amadistrict-ix.org
Associate Vice
Presidents
Steve Culver, Omaha NE;
[email protected]
Fred Hildebrand, Casper WY;
[email protected]
Troy Lapp, Bismarck ND;
[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: Jim Shaw,
[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