[KYHAM] Lexington, Kentucky award winners

[Jeanie Dalton]

Lexington Kentucky in Fayette County and the Bluegrass  Amateur Radio
Society is riding high !  Three of our comrades were awarded significant
recognition for a job well done this weekend.

During two separate events on Saturday, September 6th and over 300 miles
apart, our three amateurs were recognized for their accomplishments in
Amateur Radio.
The Great Lakes Convention being held in Findlay, Ohio in conjunction wit=
h
the Findlay Hamfest, and the Louisville Hamfest were the sites for the
awards.  Kentucky Section Manager, John Meyers, NB4K was at both events a=
nd
he was very proud of the recipients.

I would like to announce that Bill Fuqua/ WA4LAV was the Great Lakes
Division's choice for the Techical Achievement Award.  Bill and his  wife=

Bonnie made the trek to Findlay, Ohio to recieve this award.  Bill's life=

long hobby as well as profession is an engineer.  He has built things sin=
ce
he was a young teen.  Some things work and some don't, but he never gives=

up.  He told us the story of how he was working on a project for a scienc=
e
fair and he had built something that took him along time to build and
incurrred alot of expenses on his Mom's credit card.  The extra expenses
were due to " mistakes".  His father was paying bills one day and kept
seeing all these charges to  a credit card and went to Bill for an
explanation.  Bill sheepishly said it was because he kept making mistakes=
. =

His father calmly accepted his answer and stressed it was good to learn
from mistakes... but could he not have so many mistakes at one time!  Bil=
l
has a life long history of building and repairing things and loves to
teach. He looks good with chalk in his hand in front of a blackboard.  Bi=
ll
is a good elmer and devotes alot of his spare time to Amateur Radio.

Our second recipient was Kentucky's Amateur of the Year for 2002.  The Ge=
at
Lakes Division chose  Pat Spencer/ KD4PWL as the Division's Amateur of th=
e
Year.
Pat and his wife Kim also made the trek from Lexington to Findlay, Ohio t=
o
recieve this award.  Pat is being recognized for his achievements as an
Assistant Section Manager, his role as Assistant Emergency Coordinator,  =
KY
HAM webmaster,  coordinating such public service events as The Rolex and
his undying dedication to ARES and the Ice Storm 2003.  Pat made a short
speech commending all of the hams who volunteer to help when called upon
and stated that it is the volunteering amateurs who make it all possible.=
 =

He also stated that none of his efforts would be possible without the tot=
al
support of his wife Kim.

Last, but not least, is a Public Service Commendation award that was give=
n
to Craig McKechnie/KE4FFQ, at the Louisville Hamfest.  Craig is also a pa=
st
recipient of the Ernie Farmer Award that is given out yearly at the
Lexington Hamfest.   Craig is being recognized for his support to ARES an=
d
public service.  During the Ice Storm, 2003, Craig logged 58 hours in a 9=
6
hour period providing emergency communications at Kentucky Utilities,
shelters and other various spots.  He is always helping out with events a=
t
the horse park, Rolex, bike ride-a-thons and other events.    If you ask
Craig to help, he is there in a heart beat.

We of the Bluegrass Amateur Radio Society  are very proud of all three of=

this years winners from the Lexington/Fayette County area.   Of the three=

states represented
at the Great Lakes Division, Kentucky took 2 awards.  All of us are bubbl=
y
proud of our winners.

Jeanie Dalton, KB8QLC
President Bluegrass Amateur Radio Society,Inc
Great Lakes Division Convention Office =