I am back. After many months of sitting by a hospital bed awaiting what turned out to be the inevitable, I am back home attempting to put my new life in perspective. For those of you who did not know, my wife of 41 years, Barbara Stalick, succumbed to Leukemia on October 21. Her fight against this terrible affliction lasted 8 months, and now she is finally at rest. I miss her deeply, but I have been heartened by the many freeflight friends who wrote, emailed and phoned their support during this difficult time. Thank you for your kindness and understanding. But it’s time to move on, and that means giving you information about your National Free Flight Society.
1. The Nats: Time to mark your calendars.
USIC: The USIC is scheduled for Johnson City, TN on May 29 through June 1. Abram VanDover is the overall CD, and he has lined up contest directors to manage each day of the competition. Anyone who has entered in the AMA portion of this meet in the past will automatically receive an entry form. Others will need to contact either the AMA Competitions Department or Abram himself. Abram’s address is: 112 Tillerson Drive, Newport News, VA 23602.
USOC: The USOC is set for August 5
through August 9. Note that this year the meet will begin on Monday and end on
Friday. The change was approved by AMA is in response to a recent survey of USOC
contestants who indicated a preference for a Monday-Friday affair. There are
several byproducts to moving the meet a day later: we have one less day
where we are competing for space on the field with other non-free flight
contestants; the NFFS banquet will be held on Wednesday, August 7; and the Texas
Timers BBQ and weenie roast will be held on Thursday, August 8.
The overall USOC CD this year is Chuck Markos. Entry forms will be
automatically mailed to all contestants who entered AMA events in 2000. Others
can get their entry forms directly from the AMA Competitions Department or from
Chuck Markos. Chuck can be contacted at: 655 Carlisle Ave., Deerfield, IL
60015. I suggest you wait until late February to request as the forms are not
ready at this time
2. NFFS Banquet: This
year the banquet is moving back to the Convention Center in Muncie. After a
review of the 2000 banquet by Rex Hinson and Louis Joyner, the entire program is
being revamped with the major feature being the honoring of the Hall of Fame
recipients. The program will be streamlined, but due to rising expenses of
facility rent and food costs, the banquet tickets will now be $25 per person.
More information on the banquet will be in future issues of the Digest.
3. Raffle Request. As most people who attend the outdoor Nats are aware, the NFFS raffles off a number of donated items each year at the BBQ. Hank Nystrom handles this chore for us, and is now soliciting items for the raffle. If you have a free flight related item you would like to donate to the raffle, contact Hank and let him know. All proceeds from the raffle go to the NFFS scholarship account. Hank can be reached by email at <Txtimer@att.net> He can be reached by USPost at 3317 Pine Timbers Drive, Johnson City, TN 37604.
4. Election
Report. Elsewhere in this issue you will find the results of the NFFS
election. As is usual this time of the year, we experienced difficulty getting
the November Digest with its enclosed ballot to all of our members with much
time to spare. We did extend the time when we would count the ballots so that as
many as possible could cast their ballots. I extend my best wishes to the two
new VPs, my condolences to those who did not quite make the final cut, and my
appreciation to Hardy Brodersen and Len Sherman, the two outgoing officers.
Hardy Brodersen has been one of the stalwarts of the Society since our
beginning, and out members owe him a huge debt of gratitude for all that he has
done. Len has been a newer influence, but his contributions were significant as
we looked at changing the direction of the Society. It was Len who kept
reminding us of our legacy and history.
Thanks to both of you for all you did.
5. AMA History Project. Some of you may recall that I had asked you many months ago to nominate your top free flight models and top free flighters of all time. These honored models and modelers would be featured in the AMA Museum at Muncie. I received many nominations and had hoped to have the voting completed by now; however, I was unable to devote much time to this project in the recent past. Now, it will be revived and included in either the February or March issue of the Digest. It hasn’t been forgotten, it was just on the back burner for awhile.
6. New Nostalgia Rules Book. The 8th Version of the Nostalgia Rules Book should be available about the time you read this column. Walt Rozelle has taken on the task of updating book #7 with the assistance of Keith Fulmer, Nostalgia Committee Chairman. An announcement about this book and how you can get one will be found elsewhere in the Digest.
Bob Stalick, NFFS President.