View from HQ
Dave Mathewson, AMA Executive Director
The outdoor flying season is officially here
Contact: [email protected]
Finally... some decent weather has arrived! Along with it comes the "official" beginning of the outdoor flying season for many of us. Indications are that it's going to be a busy year. AMA-sanctioned events are trending up for 2014, and evidence suggests that the number of flying events across the country is on the rise.
For many of us, this is good news. We enjoy flying model aircraft, and participating in events and flying with friends can take that enjoyment to a new level.
Events do not necessarily have to be competition oriented. In fact, most AMA-sanctioned events aren't. If you look at the AMA online event calendar, you'll see events ranging from simple fun-flys to events for serious competitors.
Many of our clubs host annual events; some have done so for more than 50 consecutive years. It takes much work to host a flying event, but clubs make the effort for several reasons:
- Fundraising: Hosting an aeromodeling event can be a moneymaker for the club, helping keep membership dues low and offsetting the expense of maintaining a flying site.
- Community support: Many clubs host events to support local charities. The real value of this is often not monetary to the club, but the goodwill it creates in the community. Clubs that give back become an asset to their communities.
- Fun and camaraderie: Despite the effort required, hosting events is simply enjoyable. Getting together with friends from other clubs adds a level of enjoyment that comes from being with others who share similar interests. The camaraderie experienced and the friendships built can last a lifetime.
When the time comes that a club needs the support of the community—perhaps to help save a flying site or find a new one—the community will often be there to return the favor.
If you haven't yet, look to see what events are taking place near you. Find one that sounds interesting, grab a buddy, and attend. You'll likely have a good time and be looking for the next event to attend when you return home.
The AMA Foundation is beginning to take shape
As many of you know, the foundation was launched at the AMA Expo in Ontario, California, in January. Since then, much progress has been made and things are beginning to move forward.
The foundation's first board members met in Muncie in early May. After sitting in on those meetings, I'm confident that talented people have agreed to offer their time, knowledge, and expertise to help make the AMA Foundation successful.
The AMA Foundation will play an important role in our organization's future. One of its functions will be to manage an endowment that will support AMA programming going forward. Programs that are now supported by member dues will be supported by proceeds from the foundation's endowment, allowing AMA to keep dues stable.
AMA is fortunate to have thousands of members who annually donate to help support programs such as the AMA/Charles H. Grant Scholarship Program, education outreach programs, the National Model Aviation Museum, Flying Site Assistance Grants, the AMA Disaster Relief Fund, and others.
As the endowment grows, AMA will be able to fund many of these programs with investment gains while leaving the principal intact. Although there will be some immediate impact, the true value of the foundation and its endowment probably won't be realized for many years. It's important that AMA position itself now so that years from now we can sustain these great programs without having to rely as heavily on membership dues.
Please remember that National Model Aviation Day is August 16, 2014.
See you next time.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
