District V Report - 2004/06

June 2004 169
I ATTENDED the fourth annual Wings
Over Venice Giant Scale Fun-fly under
International Model Aircraft Association
(IMAA) rules. Allen Wilder was the CD.
I told the AMA Executive Council what a
nice club this RC Flyers of Venice was and
received approval for an AMA Award of
Excellence for the club. This big three-day
Giant Scale event was hosted by the Venice
club.
Club director Jack Butler (L), club
president Allen Wilder, and Jim Saiff who
serves as an associate vice president for
District V. They are holding the award of
execellence plaque, AMA’s highest award
for chartered clubs.
Some of the club members who worked
those three days included (kneeling) Jim
Lasik; Dean Solie; Chet Gurwacz; Dick
Aubrey; Bob Shapiro; Bill Bennett; Warren
Winkler; Lee Easter; Gary Sprague. Top
row (generally) Bill Willenbaker; Art
Fabianski; James Lyons; Allen Wilder;
Roger Glaim; Francis Bisson; John Logli;
Lloyd Ussery; Anthony Martin; Paul
Rehberg; Warren Mumma; Michael
Jackson; David Mullennex; Jack Vermilyea;
Richard Javery; Doug Thornton; George
Faketty.
I attended the Collier Model Aeronautic
Club’s fun-fly in Naples, Florida, where it
was nice and warm. Claus Mouret was the
CD. I honored the Naples club with a District
V Club of the Month award. Each member
received a nice cloth patch and the club
received a three-color flag for the field.
(L to R) Jerry Keefe, club secretary and
treasurer; Rocky Astrologo; Ron Rich; Walt
Ferrell; Joe Oberbeck, club vice president
and co-CD. As soon as this picture was
taken, the flag went up the field pole under
the club windsock.
This fine club hosted the big two-day funfly
and many consented to a group picture.
Front (L to R): Marlin Houston; Jerry Keefe;
Dave Hoff; Dave Hoff Jr.; Charles Lent;
Rocky Astrologo; John Jerguson. Top row
(generally): Art Eby; Harry Barnard; Frank
Roorda; Banny Sprague; Bill Bond; Joe
Casey; Ron Rich; Charlie Boxwell; Ron
Darlington; Bill Hunt; Joe Oberbeck; Walt
Ferrell; Frank Menendez. Thank you,
gentlemen.
I promised Jerry Keefe with the Naples
club I would run his picture. I’m running it
partly for selfish reasons. It is a message I
want to convey.
Jerry Keefe told me he was unaware we
have a District Web site at
www.modelair.org, therefore he had not seen
earlier reports on the Naples club posted.
Jerry is a fine builder; his P-38 is still inside
his van. His wife Jennifer was at home the
morning I took this snap.
I attended the Crestview Model Aviators’
Frostbite Fly-in. The Crestview club has an
excellent field to fly on. A very friendly club
dedicated to having fun, it was awarded a
Club of the Month award.
Here are some of the club officials
displaying their flag. (L-R) Athol Foster;
Richard Petty; Jim Gifford; Ron Meade,
club president; Jack McAllister; and Harold
Clark.
Here are some of the Crestview members
(L-R) standing: Jack McAllister; Dave
Curron; Jim Sowles; Ron Meade; Harold
Clark; Buddy Shuman; David Strawser;
Bobby Flanks; Brian Strawser (David’s
son); Bob Williams; Sam Kannella; Barbara
Gray; Shirley Meade. Kneeling front: Joe
Andrews; Jim Gifford; Shannon Hart; Athol
Foster; Bill Hubble.
I attended the fifth annual Hal DeBolt
Vintage R/C Society reunion. Co-sponsors
included the Hernando Aero Modelers, the
Vintage RC Society, and the Spring Hill Bald
Eagles.
Ordinarily the host club, the Hernando
Aero Modelers, has this reunion on its own
field, the Boy Scout field. This year,
however, their field was rained out and had
high water. Therefore the host club borrowed
the Hernando County RC Club’s field.
Sound complicated? Maybe, but
everybody had a good time. Everyone had
fun.
The place abounded with club presidents.
Here are three important ones holding the
flag the Hernando Aero Modelers were
awarded as a Club of the Month along with
cloth patches. Bob Noll, president of the
Vintage R/C Society, an AMA Special
Interest Group, is on the left; Doug Jonas,
president of the Hernando Aero Modelers
in the center; my special friend Cliff
Manspeaker, president of the club whose
field it was, the Hernando County RC Club.
The Hernando Aero Modelers hosted the
big fun-fly/competition and they did all the
work. Some of them included (L-R): Jim
Feltner; Don Ogren; Val Defer; Doug Jonas,
president; Al Pyne; Cliff Manspeaker; Greg
Dill; Wes McGinnis; Tony Sylvester; Tom
Smith.
Next month: The Rocket City RC Club and
the Venice Banquet. Don’t miss these
exciting everts. Be here!
District V Report
Alabama / Florida / Georgia /
Mississippi / Puerto Rico /
South Carolina / Tennessee
Jim McNeill
Vice President
617 South 20 Avenue,
Birmingham AL 35205
Tel.: (205) 322-2127
Fax: (205) 252-2654
E-mail: [email protected]
District V Web page: www.modelair.org/
Note: For a listing of all district volunteer
workers please consult a previous issue of
Model Aviation.
04june.qxd 3/24/04 10:05 am Page 169