November 2004 157
SUMMER CAMP FOR ME! Back in my
days of growing up in North Texas in the
1950s and 60s, it was the in thing for a
youth to attend summer camp, whether it
was vacation bible school, baseball,
basketball or football camp, or the YMCA
or boys club summer camp. It was what one
did for fun and to give all moms some relief
from non-stop kids.
But me? I was a model aircraft kid. I
longed to be at that special place for my
kind to go. And wow! In 1960 the AMA did
it! That was back in the old Navy Nats days
and miracle of miracles, the road show Nats
made a stop at the Naval Air Station in
Dallas, Texas. It was heaven on earth!
The Nats had been going on since the
early 1930s. But finally, a summer camp for
my kind!
Did you know that one of the founding
missions in the original charter of the AMA
was the establishment and running of the
Nats? Now skip forward 44 years. (There
has been a lot of water under the bridge
since then.) I have attended all but two of
those 44 AMA Nats from beginning to
end—42 of them!
I just wanted to stop and say thank you to
our AMA for continuing to make summer
camp for me and my kind!
Well done and thank you to all who
produce and support the Nats!
More photos and less text! For those who
would like to see more text and AMA
politics in this column, please contact me at
the above address. We can discuss this
privately. For all others, please enjoy these
collages of the 2004 Nats. I solicit others to
submit photos and descriptive text of your
local modeling activity to be seen in future
columns.
The District VIII column is the place to see
photos of modeling action! Flying, fun, and
fellowship. Dr. Sandy Frank, representing
the membership within AMA District VIII
to the AMA Executive Council.
Arkansas / Louisiana / New
Mexico / Oklahoma / Texas
Dr. Sandy Frank
Vice President
105 N. Brazos St.,
Weatherford TX 76086-3207
Tel./Fax: (817) 599-7131
www.AMA-Dist-8.org
E-mail: [email protected]
Associate Vice Presidents
Buzz Averill, 11608 Singing Arrow Rd SE,
Albuquerque NM 87123; Tel.: (505) 298-6870
Lester L. Barry, 4808 N. Rockwell Ave., Bethany
OK 73008-5373 (405) 789-5373
Max Blose, 1001 N. Betsy, Waco TX 76706
(254) 662-5587
Bill Fulmer, 356 Bellemeade Blvd., Gretna LA
70056; Tel.: (504) 392-3620
Bill Lee, 601 Van Zandt County Road 4815,
Chandler TX 75758 (903) 852-5599
Jim D. Marshall, Box 9092, Mission TX 78572
(956) 585-6446
Douglas E. Powell, 5218 Kingston Dr., Wichita
Falls TX 76310; (940)691-8348
Randy Randolph, 4873 Fallon Pl., Dallas TX 75227
(214) 381-7624
Jim Rice, 118 E. Wright Blvd., Universal City TX
78148 (210) 945-8221
Ron Stanfield, 26 Oak Ridge Dr., Maumelle AR
72113-6846 (501) 851-1697
Charles Stevens, 226 Delta St., Pasadena TX
77506 (713) 473-4995
Frequency Coordinator
(North): Joe DuMond, 6731 Bridge Street, PMB-
224, Ft. Worth TX 76112 (817) 457-6685
(South): Gene Kent, 19531 Stamford Dr., Tomball
TX 77375; Tel.: (281) 255-4805
AMA Display Coordinator
Karen Hopkins, 5515 Bridgeton Avenue, Arlington
TX 76018 (817) 467-9211
District VIII Report From District VIII and Everywhere
2004 National
Aeromodeling
Championships
11nov.qxd 8/23/04 10:43 am Page 157
Edition: Model Aviation - 2004/11
Page Numbers: 157