[FARReps] Thank you to FARFest volunteers

[Dan Blasberg]

I would like to say thank you to the following clubs and individuals, 
who without their support, FARFest 2004 would not have been the success 
it was:

Montgomery ARC
Baltimore ARC
Laurel ARC
Mt Vernon ARC
Washington Adventist ARC
Vienna Wireless Association
Arlington ARC
Prince George's County ARES/RACES

The above clubs provided at least four members as volunteers to support 
FARFest 2004, many in some cases took on entire tasks such  as talk-in, 
VE testing, announcements, or running an entire gate for at least on 
shift and in most cases two.

James Tilton (Central Maryland ARC)
Don Kirby (Calvert ARA)
Pat Klinger N8FRS
John Chitwood K3RGB
Steve Karty (Vienna wireless Association)
Jim Dooley
Rocky (Montgomery ARC)
Bill Dobson (Hanover Area Hamming Association)
Charlie Strong W3BQB (Hanover Area Hamming Association)

The above are a list of individuals that stepped up and provided and 
immense amount of support to the event.

Antietam Radio Association
Central Maryland ARC
MDXRA

The above clubs provided support in other ways other than manpower, 
such as door prizes and monetary donations in kind.


Now for the those that are not named above, where was the support for 
FAR? Everyone talk about how important FAR is for its scholarships and 
local support, but when it comes time to provide support, where is 
everyone? I guess FAR just isn't as important as everyone talks about, 
because the one talking about how important FAR is are the one that are 
turning their back when it comes time to support FAR, and that is a 
pity.

In the past week I have received several e-mail from clubs proclaiming 
how they have over 250 members, yet these clubs can't even provide four 
volunteers to man a gate and sell ticket for four hours. If I belonged 
to any of these clubs (and I do) I would be embarrassed (actually I am 
upset) that a club with 15 members could provide 7 volunteer and cover 
two shift at one gate and we could not provide any support from any of 
our 255 members.

If you want to support the Foundation fine, then step up and do it. If 
all you are doing is riding along so that your club can get a free ad 
for a summer get together or a free table at the hamfest, then I would 
suggest you take a long hard look at what your organization is about. I 
would also suggest your organization think long and hard before asking 
for a free ad or a free table, because starting very soon, those items 
and an organizations entitlement to them will be predicated on the 
support that organization provides as well as that organizations 
attendance to regular business meetings.

Again, thank you to those clubs and individuals that have supported the 
Foundation this year, for those that haven't, you have been put on 
notice.

Dan Blasberg
KA8YPY
President
Foundation for Amateur Radio