by Darren Coomler

Welcome Chapter 1541 Members and Friends,

Well, 2021 is close to the end. What a year! With year starting out with all of the unknowns related to the COVID virus and the inability of the chapter to meet in person, we are now to a point where we have had several face-to-face events. It’s been great being able visit with many of you and getting caught up on how you’re doing. The chapter this year has bucked the trend of many other EAA chapters to stay active during the pandemic, using ways other than meeting in the hangar. The use of virtual meetings has seemed to keep us all in touch. The chapter was also active in awarding another national Ray Scholarship and two $500 locally-funded scholarships to the Ray Scholarship runner ups. Along with the chapter surviving the challenges of the pandemic the chapter has grown: our last member count was just under 150 members.

The chapter Board has recognized the reasons many new people have joined the chapter, we believe it’s what the chapter delivers, from the quality IMC/VMC meetings that chapter members Dan Masys and Scott Thompson have been presenting, along with the fine breakfasts, monthly meeting presentations, Young Eagle flights, and the flight simulators to mention a few. Most of all the thing that makes a chapter work is you, participating in monthly activities and just visiting with other members. Thank you.

Looking forward, some of the new events we are planning include a “get to know the person” pilot & plane event. This will be basically a chapter walk around the airport visiting members who have planes at their hangars, to familiarize yourself with the pilot and the plane. As the year progresses, we may consider an Airport Fun Day; we have had these in the past with great response and appreciation from the surrounding community. We are also going to focus on activities that younger member can participate in.

The chapter will also continue with its ongoing fundraising efforts to purchase a permanent home for our meetings. We currently rent the hanger we meet in and would like to purchase it if we can. The chapter was not able to secure a venue for a Christmas party this year, but we are still working to have an event in early January for all of us to meet, TBD. Stay tuned for further information.

As we are approaching the New Year it time to renew your membership for 2022. If you joined the chapter in October or later you are still good for 2022. For all the rest of you, please go here. You can also renew at any of the chapter hanger meetings.

In closing, I would like to send out a special thanks to all of you for your participation and best wishes for this holiday season see you soon.