District VII—Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin
One of the most common questions I hear from clubs is, "How do we grow our membership? We've tried everything and nothing seems to work." The short answer is that maybe it's time to try everything again. How long has it been since you last reached out to a school, church, or civic organization? What might not have worked five or 10 years ago might be the perfect solution today.
With all the media attention now given to unmanned aircraft, there's renewed interest in our hobby and plenty of people who want to know how to get started. Contact your local Scout troop again—did you know there's a merit badge that Scouts can earn for radio-controlled (RC) participation?
Consider introducing aeromodeling and mentoring at your local schools. Several clubs in my area had positive results with this type of involvement.
Also think about magazines. If you're like me, you tend to hold onto them forever. Instead of letting them collect dust, take a few to the library, the doctor's office, or the barber shop. They would likely appreciate them, and it might earn you a kind word from your significant other.
At day's end, we don't have to reinvent the wheel to bring aeromodeling to others. Continue the commitment to share the joy our hobby brings.
Suggestions for outreach:
- Reconnect with schools, Scouts, churches, and civic groups.
- Offer mentoring or aeromodeling programs at local schools.
- Donate magazines to public places (libraries, medical offices, barbershops).
- Host public events and open houses to demonstrate flying and invite neighbors.
Neighborhood Appreciation Cookout — Platteville Area Modelers (PAM)
Wisconsin Associate Vice President Marc "Doc" Shelstrom submitted this event report and photos from the Platteville Area Modelers club in southwestern Wisconsin, which reached out to local residents by hosting an open house.
I sat here with the wind howling outside and temperatures below zero, reflecting on what was a hot summer day with temperatures in the high 90s and humidity near 90 percent. Platteville Area Modelers (PAM) held its first Neighborhood Appreciation Cookout on August 24, 2013. The club has 18 members from Wisconsin and Iowa.
The members fly at an abandoned airport with an 1,800-foot east/west asphalt runway and a north/south grass runway. The airfield is in southwest Wisconsin, approximately six miles from the town of Platteville. The airfield is surrounded by farmland and a housing settlement. The club hosted a barbecue and invited residents within a one-mile radius of the airfield. Roughly 30 of the 40 invitees attended and enjoyed grilled hamburgers, bratwursts, salads, desserts, and soft drinks.
The event was cosponsored by Schmidt Electrical Construction, which provided shade tents and an air-conditioned trailer. Inside the trailer, a flight simulator was set up. Young people spent a great deal of time trying the simulator and avoiding the heat. A buddy-box was also set up so interested neighbors could try their hands at flying. Although it was very windy, club members put on flight demonstrations of various types of airplanes, from small electrics to a 33% Sukhoi. One club member drove a gas-powered RC car on the asphalt runway.
Ninety-seven-year-old Shirley Nodorf-Ward attended the picnic. She and her husband, Bill, established the airport in 1947. She was a pilot and reminisced about her experiences, including a story about how she propped her own Cub to get it started. Karla Egan-Dailey, the current owner of the airfield, said, "Shirley didn't want to leave. She really enjoyed the day."
The day was a successful public-relations event, so the club plans to host the Neighborhood Appreciation Cookout again this summer. Plans are in the works to expand the event to attract new members, especially kids.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
