District V
Tony Stillman, District V Vice President
I am excited to report that we will be voting on a new Executive Director for the AMA at the October Executive Council (EC) meeting. A committee from the EC has done a wonderful job of reviewing more than 60 résumés. The members of this committee have narrowed the field to three candidates.
District Jamboree — Call for Hosts
I am making a final call to any clubs in District V that would like to host a District Jamboree event similar to the one we held in Mobile, Alabama, this year. In 2007 I would like to have three of these events:
- One in Mobile (again)
- One in the northern part of the district
- One in the central Florida area
I already have one club in South Carolina that has expressed interest. If your club is interested, please contact me. I will make a final decision on the host clubs by the end of the year.
Associate Vice Presidents
I am happy to report that I have several new associate vice presidents (AVPs) to help cover South Florida and South Carolina. I hope these new AVPs will improve service to our District V membership.
Ronnie Bray Memorial Fly-In (Top Gun R/C Club)
The Top Gun R/C Club held its seventh annual Ronnie Bray Memorial Fly-In on June 10—the hottest day up to that point in the flying season. Temperatures approached 100°F in the shade, but the heat didn’t slow the activities at all.
After club member Ronnie Bray lost his battle with cancer, the annual fly-in was renamed in his honor. Club members described Ronnie as a “modeler’s modeler.”
The event is a true “fly-what-you-brung” meet, and all proceeds are donated to the American Cancer Society. The event raises a considerable amount of money each year because all the food and drink, raffle prizes, door prizes, and auction items are donated. All you need to do is show up to get free hot dogs and soft drinks.
The Top Gun facility is a few short miles from Lake Hartwell in northeastern Georgia, and the Ronnie Bray Memorial Fly-In draws pilots and families from across the Southeast.
Event highlights:
- Large volume of donated aeromodeling supplies, kits, engines, and radio components for door prizes, raffles, and auctions.
- Some auction items were so popular they were auctioned multiple times because winners donated them back for a second auction.
- A small food trailer distributed free hot dogs, chips, and soft drinks; donations were welcome.
- Constant, varied flying activities: everything from giant aerobatic models to tiny electrics, and many pilots flew multiple types.
A minor injury occurred when a pilot nicked his left thumb while starting an engine earlier in the day. The injury required only a few stitches and a bandage at the local emergency room. Unfortunately, he missed the full-size aerobatic flight demonstration while receiving treatment, but he returned to the fly-in and had a model back in the air before the lidocaine wore off.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
