[ILHam] National Grant Awarded

[Elden P Laffoon, Sr.]

From: "Pete Kemp" <radioguy@mags.net>
To: <RACES@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2002 8:42 PM
Subject: [RACES] National Grant Awarded
 
 
> ARRL Receives Homeland Security Training Grant
>
> NEWINGTON, CT, Jul 18, 2002--The ARRL will receive a $181,900 homeland
> security grant from the US government to train Amateur Radio operators
in
> emergency communication. The League was among several dozen nonprofit
> organizations designated to receive some $10.3 million in federal money
to
> boost homeland defense volunteer programs. The grant, from the
Corporation
> for National and Community Service special volunteer program, will
provide
> free ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course training to
5200
> volunteers nationwide, starting in 2003.
>
> "ARRL is the national association for Amateur Radio and is the national
> leader in emergency communications by volunteers who operate their own
> equipment on their time at no cost to any government, organization, or
> corporation," said the announcement today from Homeland Security
Director
> Tom Ridge. The ARRL plans to revise and update the emergency
communications
> curriculum to incorporate additional elements of emergency preparedness
and
> homeland security.
>
> ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, said he was extremely pleased by the
> news. "This adds legitimacy to the public service work Amateur Radio
has
> been doing for years," he said.
>
> ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, applied for the
funding
> in May, inviting the Corporation for National and Community Service to
> become "a partner with the nation's oldest volunteer radio
communications
> organization."
>
> "I think this is an extraordinarily exciting day for Amateur Radio that
the
> role of Amateur Radio in homeland security is recognized at the highest
> levels of government," Hobart said when learning of the grant. The
League's
> grant application characterized Amateur Radio as "the bedrock of
> communications when other outlets fail."
>
> Hobart cited Amateur Radio's response in the aftermath of the September
11
> terrorist attacks and said the federal grant "will help continue our
work
> in providing public service and to protect lives, homes, businesses and
our
> frequencies, as we have for decades."
>
> The League had sought a three-year grant of $541,750. The $181,900
grant
> covers the first year's direct program costs. The proposed budget
includes
> the cost of a project coordinator who would be responsible for overall
> fiscal management of the grant.
>
> ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, said he was pleased
that
> the League would be able to extend its Amateur Radio Emergency
> Communications program to thousands of amateurs who might otherwise not
be
> able to afford the program. "We hope all who are interested will get on
> board," he said.
>
> The grant announcement said that "expanding the opportunities for
Americans
> to participate in meaningful volunteer service" is at the heart of
> President George Bush's USA Freedom Corps, of which the Corporation for
> National and Community Service is a part.
>
> "We are deeply grateful to Tom Ridge and to the Corporation for
National
> and Community Service for providing Amateur Radio with a unique
opportunity
> to serve our country," Hobart said.
>
> In June, the ARRL and United Technologies Corporation announced a
> partnership to provide free ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
> Course training for up to 250 Connecticut amateurs.

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