District X Report - 2009/12
The Northern California R/C Unlimited Flyers and the Redding Area Miniature Aircraft Club were holding a fundraiser at their local air show. We had done it before with good success, but not for a few years.
Raffle and attendance
We were raffling off a ParkZone T-28 and an RC truck. With the economy the way it is, 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.
The boy and the community response
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 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 run 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, that he most likely wouldn’t win, and 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 website 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.
Immediately we had donations pouring in: one ParkZone T-28, 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.
The boy is receiving:
- a ParkZone T-28
- a Spektrum radio
- two (or more) batteries and a charger
- a few extra propellers
- club membership and an AMA membership
- cash donations toward additional needs
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 as 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
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
