Much progress has been made this spring on grant-funded beautification and safety projects at the International Aeromodeling Center (IAC).
A $13,000 grant awarded to the AMA Foundation in fall 2025 by the Sherman and Marjorie Zeigler Foundation has allowed multiple areas at the front of the 1,100-acre Muncie, Indiana, property to be improved. These include replacing a fallen tree near the pond, replacing dilapidated railroad ties near the flight demonstration area, adding landscaping rock around the flagpoles closest to East Memorial Drive, and more. Work on the Timber and Tailwinds Project is ahead of schedule and will easily meet the June 5, 2026, deadline.
Generous local contractors have offered AMA steep discounts on their products and services, allowing the grant budget to be stretched to fund more projects. The grant was originally awarded solely for tree replacement and flight demonstration area revitalization.
A large tree located near the south side of the pond was split and knocked down by strong wind in spring 2025. For many years, visitors and AMA employees enjoyed sitting under the shade tree during hot Muncie summers. Instead of replacing it with one large tree, the Zeigler Foundation suggested replacing it with smaller trees because that area is susceptible to strong wind. Three 7-foot flowering trees were planted in that area in early April.
During the week of April 13, old, split railroad ties behind the National Model Aviation Museum were removed and replaced. The ties served as the border for a gravel area used for seating and picnics. This piece of the property is utilized by those enjoying flight demonstrations, especially during school field trips. The old ties were estimated to be 25-30 years old and created tripping and other safety hazards for visitors.
After the railroad tie and tree projects were completed, there were enough funds left in the budget to replace the mulch around the flagpoles with stone. The flagpole area runs parallel to the property entrance and is highly visible from the street. AMA district and international flags are flown on these poles. This work is expected to be completed in the next one to two weeks.
"I am excited to be able to stretch the Zeigler Foundation funding and find even more ways to beautify the IAC," stated AMA Foundation Deputy Director Rachelle Haughn. "The generosity of the Zeigler Foundation, and its belief that the IAC is a valuable part of the Muncie community, encourages the AMA Foundation team to look for even more grant opportunities."
After funding the aforementioned projects, there will still be some money available to accomplish a dream project at the IAC: replacing the water fountain in the pond. The pond had a beautiful aerator for several years, but it stopped functioning approximately a decade ago. The AMA Foundation has pledged to add $10,000 in additional funding to make the dream a reality. The goal is for the fountain to have a decorative feature at the top, such as an airplane or helicopter structure, that would allow water to flow through and out of it. Work to gather designs and potential quotes has begun.
The AMA Foundation staff would like to thank the AMA facilities and maintenance teams for all of their hard work on collecting quotes, providing updates, and ensuring that the work is done in a timely manner. Everything looks great!
Be sure to check out the improvements when you visit the property this summer for competitions and events.
