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The Academy of Model Aeronautics has awarded a $75 Club Recognition and Reward Grant to the Ozark Mountain Barnstormers of Springfield, MO. The club held an inaugural Toys for Tots fundraiser on November 14, 2015 at their home flight site in Nixa, MO.  The event attracted the attention of the local Nixa Enterprise newspaper and it was detailed on the front page of the November 25, 2015 issue. With 50 people in attendance, the club managed to collect $600 worth of new, unwrapped toys which were donated to the Springfield U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. The AMA Club Recognition and Reward Program was established to encourage clubs to promote model aviation. The AMA offers clubs cash incentives for positive local media coverage for a public event, public service, club announcement, or other coverage. Click here to learn more about this program.

It’s always sad when the AMA community loses a dedicated model aircraft enthusiast, but many ensure their interest in flying continues well beyond their passing. Charles E. Klabunde has donated over $16,000 to the AMA Foundation in support of the future of our hobby, the preservation of timeless artifacts, and the fight to protect member’s right to flight. Born October 28, 1931, Charles lived in Niagra Falls, NY and graduated from NFHS, the local high school, in 1949. He would then go on to graduate from the University of Illinois in 1955 with a Master of Science degree in physics. Later working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Charles researched a number of topics, most recently super-conductivity. He retired in 1996. In his retirement, he was a man of many passions, dedicating himself to hiking, folk dancing, photography, and model flight. Charles was an active member of the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, the Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning and the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy leading many hikes along the Appalachian Trail through the Smokies. Friends knew him as Charlie; a consummate advocate for the conservation of natural Tennessee. He was a regular at the Oak Ridge Folk Dancers, sweeping many lucky partners off their feet. He built and flew multiple radio control model planes throughout the course of his life. Charles passed away from cancer earlier this year at the age of 84 in Oak Ridge, TN.  Friends and family will miss a truly dear friend. We are thankful for members like Charles whose passionate commitment to model flight continues to support the AMA Foundation. To learn more about the AMA Foundation and how to donate, visit the Foundation website.

Don Tichenor has been gone for some time, but his passion and love for the hobby continues to fuel AMA’s future. Don was an accomplished professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at Tri-State College (now Trine University) in Angola, IN from 1959 to 1993. He met his wife, Dolores, at Tri-State when she was hired to fill his vacant mathematics positions as he moved to mechanical and aerospace engineering. They married two years later. Don was an enthusiastic modeler and control line flier throughout his whole life. He was a member of the AMA, the Experimental Aircraft Association, the DeKalb Fliers, and the Steuben Model Aircraft Klub. A few years ago, five of the model airplane kits he collected, but never built, as well as an originally designed and built twin-engine control line model were donated to the AMA Museum. The remaining 47 model airplane kits are being donated to the AMA Foundation with the proceeds to be used for scholarships. Sadly, Don passed away in January of 1993 at his home in Angola. His wife, Dolores, is bringing the remaining kits to the AMA this month.

Following Black Friday and Cyber Monday is #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back. We hope you’ll join thousands across the nation in giving to organizations that matter to you. Now in its fourth year, #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving. Created by 92nd Street Y—a cultural center in New York City that, since 1874, has been bringing people together around the values of service and giving back—#GivingTuesday connects diverse groups of individuals, communities and organizations around the world for one common purpose: to celebrate and encourage giving. Do your part today by giving to the AMA. Directly donate here on the AMA Foundation website or use AmazonSmile. Simply visit AmazonSmile and select the Academy of Model Aeronautics Foundation as your charity. Then shop away! Amazon will donate 0.5% from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases back to us. Please consider a gift to the AMA Foundation today and throughout the holiday season to help the AMA reach out to the youth who are the future of our hobby, preserve timeless artifacts and memories, and fight to protect your right to fly. Your support for the AMA Foundation today will change lives tomorrow. To learn more about the AMA Foundation visit amafoundation.modelaircraft.org. To learn more about #GivingTuesday visit givingtuesday.org.  

The Academy of Model Aeronautics has awarded a $50 Club Recognition and Reward Grant to the Johnson City Radio Controllers of Tennessee. The club attracted the attention of a Northeast Tennessee magazine, Out-N-About in September 2015. Club members Rich Koenig and Mike Starnes were featured in the three-page spread about the Johnson City Radio Controllers and their interests in aircraft modeling. The AMA Club Recognition and Reward Program was established to encourage clubs to promote model aviation. The AMA offers clubs cash incentives for positive local media coverage for a public event, public service, club announcement, or other coverage. Click here to learn more about this program.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TNRJvCgyiM As a supporter of the AMA Foundation we know you are interested in the latest information about the model aviation world. If you haven’t subscribed to AMA’s new video webcast, AMA Air, we encourage you to do so ASAP to make sure you do not miss a single episode. This month's AMA Air highlights include a spotlight on a Texas RC club charity event, a discussion on the history of the Torrey Pines Gliderport, and this month's news including AMA's involvement in a task force to develop the registration process for unmanned aircraft systems. Click here to watch the November edition of AMA Air.

On Saturday, November 7, AMA District VIII hosted Wings Over Windsong, a fun fly RC event at Windsong Ranch in Prosper, Texas. It was an exciting day of flight attended by close to 800 people.   Along with AMA District VIII VP, Mark Johnston, attendees watched Quique Somenzini, F3A World Champion, fly a selection of airplanes provided by Bill Simpson. Video below shows Somenzini demonstrating his superior skill at the event. https://youtu.be/ryZgVbp6eEI   Kids and adults witnessed the landing of a full scale Medivac Helicopter from PHI Air Medical (pictured below). The helicopter was on display and attendees had the chance to get a look inside. For added fun, the AMA Mobile RC experience simulator trailer was stationed at the event.   The event was held in support of the Wounded Warrior Project, and managed to raise $2,650. Congratulations to event organizers for their hard work: Windsong Ranch development group, AMA District VIII, Rowlett RC Club, North Dallas RC Club and Richardson RC Club, Mark Johnston, Ed Kranz, Charles Shaffer, John Williford, Lauren Stephan, and Kris Wilson. To see more photos from the event, visit the event’s Facebook page or District VIII’s webpage.

 Azarr, age 70, was an admired and respected member of the RC community. A lifetime member of the AMA, he took great joy in the sport and was a mentor to many. At age 9, he was introduced to RC modeling by his uncle and was hooked.

The Springfield Model Airplane Club has donated $310.00 to the AMA Foundation in honor of its long-time friend and member. The SMAC wants to help further Azarr’s support of the Foundation’s goals and programs which were of importance to him.

Azarr passed away in his home on August 14, 2015 and will be sorely missed by family, friends and members of the model aviation community.

The Academy of Model Aeronautics has awarded a $175 Club Recognition and Reward Grant to the Southwest Area Park Modelers. The club secured local media coverage of their event “The Charm City Fly-in.” Club members, Dr. Stan Blum, Bryan Green and Arthur Vail, were profiled in a Sept. 23, 2015 Arbutus Times cover story promoting the event. Additionally, the Baltimore Jewish Times published an online video (below) documenting the event. Proceeds from “The Charm City Fly-in” mostly benefit the Southwest Area Park Modelers so that they are able to continue to offer free youth membership (18 and under) to attract new members to the hobby. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_ac9_xCMAk The AMA Club Recognition and Reward Program was established to encourage clubs to promote model aviation. The AMA offers clubs cash incentives for positive local media coverage for a public event, public service, club announcement, or other coverage. Click here to learn more about this program.

The Academy of Model Aeronautics has awarded a $100 Club Recognition and Reward Grant to the Olympic RC Modelers of Washington. The club secured local media coverage of their fifth annual “Radio Control and Fun Fly-In.” Event details were published in the August 28, 2015 issue of the Peninsula Daily News. In addition, local news radio station KONP AM 1450 promoted the event on air from Aug. 24-30, 2015. The AMA Club Recognition and Reward Program was established to encourage clubs to promote model aviation. The AMA offers clubs cash incentives for positive local media coverage for a public event, public service, club announcement, or other coverage. Click here to learn more about this program.