any of our clubs have one. Some
fortunate clubs might have more
than one. What are they?
They’re members who go beyond the
call of duty to support model aviation, our
clubs, and our members. They do this
quietly, sometimes in the background, and
often asking little in return other than
maybe an occasional thank you.
They might be a club officer, a
newsletter editor, or even the member
who raises his or her hand at club
meetings and volunteers to pull things
together for the club picnic, fly-in, or
another club event.
In 1983 Carl and Beth Goldberg asked
AMA to help create an award to recognize
these people. Called the Carl and Beth
Goldberg Vital People Award, it was
presented annually to “vital people in the
background of the modeling movement
whose efforts enhance the enjoyment of
the hobby and whose accomplishments
are seldom formally acknowledged.”
The concept called for the award to be
presented to six people annually and
would include a plaque and a small
monetary award funded by the Goldbergs.
AMA would administer the program.
The AMA Executive Council
enthusiastically endorsed the idea and the
first of the awards was made that year.
After Carl passed away in 1985, the
recognition program continued until it
was sunsetted in the early 1990s.
At our October Executive Council
meeting, we discussed the value of the
program and how AMA would like to do
more to thank our members who make
model aviation at the local level more
enjoyable for all of us. We voted to
President’s Perspective
AMA President Dave Mathewson
M
resurrect the award as the Academy of
Model Aeronautics’ Carl and Beth
Goldberg Vital People Award.
Beginning in 2009, the award will be
presented annually to five deserving
members. We wanted to leave the
Goldberg name on the award because
anyone who was involved in model
aviation during Carl Goldberg’s lifetime
knows that he was the consummate
modeler and epitomized and defined the
intent of this award.
Applications can be found on the AMA
Web site. All it takes is one person or club
to nominate a deserving individual. The
recipients will be selected by a committee
comprising one member from each AMA
district. The winners will be announced in
late October of each year.
Here’s an opportunity for you to do
something in return for that person who
works so hard to make model aviation
better for all of us.
I had an interesting conversation with a
member who was recently featured in his
local newspaper with his models. Shortly
after this article appeared in the paper, he
came home one afternoon to find the FBI
outside his house waiting for him.
It appears they were there out of
curiosity more than anything else. They
asked the obvious questions: How far
away can you fly these models? How high
can they go? What do they weigh? What
kind of a payload can they carry?
They were also there to learn more
about what we do as model aviation
enthusiasts. The agents who visited our
member’s house were part of a counterterrorism
unit and were doing their job to
protect the United States and its citizens
from threats by those who are intent on
causing us harm. It’s what these officers
do every day and we should be thankful
that they are so good at their job.
How we handle these situations is
important. This member did exactly the
right thing. He allowed them into his
house. He showed them his models,
answered all their questions, and even
invited them to the field. When the agents
left, they were appreciative of the time and
effort our member took to be helpful.
While an experience like this might be
unnerving, it also presents an opportunity.
Contacts such as this are occurring more
frequently, and the way we react to them is
important. A couple of years ago, the New
York State Police Counter Terrorism Unit
sent a letter to AMA chartered clubs in
New York. This has also happened in
some other states.
The letter contained a simple request.
They were asking for our help. They were
asking us to be additional eyes and ears for
them and to report anything we might feel
is suspicious. Who better to do this than
those who are already modelers?
What should you do if contacted? Do
exactly what this member did. Be helpful,
answer questions, and inform AMA. Many
of these initiatives are taking place at the
local level and it’s understandable why
one field office may not be aware of
everything taking place in other field
offices across the country.
We follow up on every one of these
contacts, first to reinforce what the agents
have already been told, and also to let
them know that we are a national
organization representing 150,000
members throughout the United States and
want to help.
Being proactive puts us in a better
position to be an asset to law enforcement
and an advocate for model aviation and
our members. MA
See you next time.
Be helpful, answer questions, and inform AMA.
Mission Statement
Dave Mathewson
AMA president
[email protected]
The Academy of Model Aeronautics is a world-class association of modelers organized for the purpose of
promotion, development, education, advancement, and safeguarding of modeling activities.
The Academy provides leadership, organization, competition, communication, protection, representation,
recognition, education and scientific/technical development to modelers.
January 2009 5
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Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/01
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