District X Report - 2009/12

THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA R/C
Unlimited Flyers and the Redding Area
Miniature Aircraft Club were having a
fundraiser at their local air show. We had
done it before with good success, but not
for a few years.
We were raffling off a ParkZone T-28
and an RC Truck. With the economy the
way it is, I will say ticket sales were not
what we expected, but there was a huge
amount of interest in the hobby and I feel
both clubs will see growth in their
memberships from it.
But this story isn’t about the air show;
it is about a boy and some local club
members’ generosity.
I was working the ticket counter when a
young Cub Scout came up to buy some
tickets. He was a friendly young man and
we talked about airplanes for some time
after he got his tickets.
He told me he had bought cheap
airplanes only to have them not fly well
and crash, and that there were no parts to
fix them.
I had told him how tough the EPP
ParkZone airplanes were and that all the
parts were available at both of the local
hobby shops. After a good conversation he
went on his way.
Later he came back to buy more tickets.
He said he really wanted to win the plane
and from the look in his eyes, I believed
him.
A club member had brought a flight
simulator and a computer to play it on so I
told him and his friend about it. He played
it several times throughout the day.
The young boy came back a third time
and spent his last $5 on more tickets.
Knowing a raffle isn’t the best place to buy
something, and that he most likely
wouldn’t win, and knowing how badly he
wanted an airplane, I told him if he did not
win I would see to it he got an airplane.
I said I didn’t know exactly what I
could get him, but I gave him my card and
told him to call me after the air show was
over.
Well he didn’t win and I am happy to
report he did call. I asked him to give me a
couple days to see what I could put
together. I wanted it to be electric and I
had a couple small foamies, but they don’t
have parts either, so I decided to put a
thread on the club’s Web site and send out
an e-mail telling other club members what
I was doing.
I called and talked with his parents to
make sure this was all okay and even
asked if it was possible to get him a ride to
the club field on weekends to give him
some lessons. His mother said yes and was
very happy that this was being done for her
son.
Back to my call. Immediately I had a
ParkZone T-28 donated, then two and
three, then about a dozen airplanes of
various kinds, several with radios,
batteries, etc. One fine gentleman, who
isn’t even a club member, offered $100
and another offered $25.
So now the boy is getting the first
ParkZone T-28, a Spektrum radio, two
batteries (at least), and a charger, along
with a few extra propellers, and to top it
off a club and an AMA membership!
I wrote this because I was so proud of
all those who offered stuff for this young
boy. It shows the real spirit this hobby has.
At times I don’t always feel it, but this
time it was a strong as it ever has been.
This is truly a great hobby with a lot of
really good people. The next time you see
some young boy drooling over an RC
airplane, maybe you can do something
about it.
—Mike Brown
District X associate vice president
One way your Districe X vice president,
Jim Giffin, likes to promote club events is
by reporting them in this column. Because
I generally coordinate Jim’s columns and
most people don’t know what is required, I
thought I would include it here.
In case you don’t feel comfortable with
your writing skills, jot down what you feel
and I will make it work as best I can.
Of course, all events can’t be listed
because there are only 12 months in a year,
but many can so send what you have to
me, Mike Brown, at [email protected].
Any club or AMA member can send an
article. If you already read these columns,
you know the types of things that are
published here. If not, just read the ones in
this magazine and that should give you a
good idea.
The general presumption is that these
columns should inform, educate, and even
possibly entertain AMA members. The
columns are not to be used for any kind of
politicking, either directly or by innuendo.
A general guideline for the absolute
“maximum” column length is
approximately 400-600 words, and up to
six horizontal photos with two-line
captions.
This would likely be without all the
district AVPs listed on the page so a bit
shorter wouldn’t hurt. If necessary the text
will be edited.
Photo resolution must be 300 ppi
(pixels per inch). Physical size must be at
least three (3) inches in width at 300 ppi.
Compressed formats should not be saved
again before providing them to us.
Accepted file formats are .jpg and .tif.
Please do not send photos embedded in
PDF or Word documents. If sending the
photos via e-mail, please do not compress
them as some e-mail programs suggest.
—Mike Brown
District X
Jim Giffin, District X Vice President; [email protected]
Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah
Jim Giffin
Vice President
Box 494688,
Redding CA 96049
Tel. (916) 760-8291
[email protected]
www.ama10.org
Associate Vice
Presidents
Tim Attaway, Chula Vista CA
(619) 427-6392
Darwin Barrie, Chandler AZ (480)
946-8955
Mike Brown, Bella Vista CA
(530) 549-3005
Greg Clemensen, Las Vegas NV
(702) 870-6242
Wayne Hamada, Honolulu HI
(808) 521-7733
Marc Karpowich, Logan UT (435)
232-1873
John Lockwood, Clovis CA
(559) 298-1606
Rick Maida, Morgan Hill CA
(408) 778-6885
Scott Malta, Merced CA
(209) 723-4202
Bill Malvey, Ladera Ranch CA
(949) 481-8624
Jerry Neuberger, Santee CA
(619) 258-4477
Bob Reynolds, Tucson AZ
(520) 296-8183
Jon Wilson, Ryde CA
(916) 776-2797
Contest Coordinators
Ellis Hall, Fair Oaks CA (North);
(916) 217-6302; [email protected]
Tim Attaway, Chula Vista CA;
(619) 427-6392;
[email protected]
Wayne Hamada, Honolulu HI;
(808) 521-7733;
[email protected]
Roxanne Cottrell (Utah and
Arizona only), Mesa AZ; (602) 321-
7955; [email protected]
District X Volunteers
158 MODEL AVIATION
Are you trying to find an aeromodeling
club in your area, state, or district?
Log on to www.modelaircraft.org/
clubsearch.aspx to find an AMA
chartered club near you!
12amanews_11amanews.qxd 10/19/2009 11:54 AM Page 158