[QCWA] Charlie Hellman W2RP - 90th Year Licensing Certificate

[TwelveVDC--- via QCWA]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Walter Hellman <hellmanw at gmail.com>
> Date: September 3, 2015 at 1:46:36 PM EDT
> 
> Subject: Re: Charlie Hellman W2RP - 90th Year Licensing Certificate
> 
> Dear Association Members,
> 
> On behalf of the family, we'd like to thank you for the amazing event that you created out of the blue that brought such joy to us and my father.  He called us almost as soon as the team left and said what a great time he had.  I spoke with him yesterday and he was still enjoying it.   Of course we wished we could have been there, but the pictures and video made it seem like we were.   I can tell you, seeing Dad getting the mike in his hand once again and returning to the fold, doing all things we know so well, was just amazing.  I suddenly saw him as a young man again no matter what his appearance today.  You brought the good life back to him he knew so well.
> 
> From reading the follow-up comments here it's very apparent that a load of work needed to be done very quickly to organize this, especially so quickly, never mind just getting everyone together at the same time.  The certificates are especially beautiful.   It's clear it was all done from the heart and Charlie and the family can't thank enough everyone who made this happen.  This includes the Association members who support the Association even if you weren't there!
> 
> Charlie is an amazing man and we look forward to him being able to celebrate again.  But no matter what happens, we're so glad this event occurred as it did and you are entirely responsible for our good fortune.  Thank you!
> 
> Walt Hellman
> 
>> On 9/3/2015 10:02 AM, Carole wrote:
>> On a personal note: Thank you and big hugs to EVERYONE associated with the Charles Hellman event. It was a classy, well executed tribute from start to finish. I love the fact that we got to honor a well deserved member in his lifetime. I hope we continue this tradition!
>> 47/73/and 88's to all,
>> Carole Perry WB2MGP
>> 
>>> On Thu, Sep 3, 2015 at 10:09 AM, Mike D <mike2002 at ptd.net> wrote:
>>> Well, from where I sit you guys did a remarkable job in a very short period of time! Just glad I was able to be a small part and make a miniscule contribution to your outstanding efforts.
>>>  
>>> 73
>>>  
>>> Mike K3NWM
>>>  
>>> From: TwelveVDC at aol.com
>>> Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2015 12:04 AM
>>> 
>>> Subject: Re: Charlie Hellman W2RP - 90th Year Licensing Certificate
>>>  
>>> Let's acknowledge the Herculean effort of Certificate Custodian Vic, W4VIC who designed a 90 Year Award on the fly and on demand, and rushed it while still wet to Charles just in time for the approved Presentation window Monday morning! Without a Certificate to present, the ceremony would have fallen pretty flat, indeed!
>>> Our hat's off to you, sir, for your speed and dedication. Thank you, Vic.
>>> 47, Pete / NL7XM
>>>  
>>>  
>>> In a message dated 9/2/2015 10:26:06 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, ve6afo at telus.net writes:
>>> Greetings!!
>>> 
>>> August 31, 2015, was indeed a very special day for Charles Hellman, W2RP, and the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA). With Charles 
>>> being a Life Member of QCWA, where QCWA never had to send renewal notices to him, this special occasion almost escaped us! If it were not for our Webmaster Bob Roske, NØUF, doing his yeomen work in trying to be sure our long history and database is being kept up-to-date, this achievement probably would have escaped us all.
>>> 
>>> I would like to start at the beginning in how this all began. It was QCWA member, Ron Moorefield, W8ILC, who actually started all of this flurry when he suggested an interesting idea to me for the QCWA Board to consider. This involved some further research in our database, for which only our internal Webmaster guru Bob Roske could provide. The magic he can perform is unbelievable!
>>> 
>>> I had asked Bob if he could poll the database and tell me how many members we actually have that 
>>> would be celebrating their 60th through to 85 years as a licensed Amateur Radio operator this year. Well, if this didn't give us all a surprise when Bob discovered that we actually had one Life Member who would be celebrating his 90th anniversary year as a licensed Amateur!! Now, looking further at the data, we soon discovered that Charles, was 105 years young in May of this year. What were the chances he was still with us? With Bob's quick thinking, he did further research on the Internet and found an article about Charles celebrating his 100th birthday. That was encouraging!
>>> 
>>> Well folks, the rest of the story we all now 
>>> know, and because of each and everyone                                   of you that I am sending this to, the plan to present Charles with his 90th Anniversary Award went off without a hitch!!
>>> 
>>> I want to say thank you for the special effort, on such short notice, to QCWA Director Carole Perry, WB2MGP, Director Pete Varounis, NL7XM, Treasurer Charles Tropp, N2SO, Chapter 181 
>>> Secretary, Mike Sturm, KA2E and Don Finkel, WA2OQM, for making the trip to Charles' QTH for this fabulous presentation. And last, but not least, my thanks to Mike Donio, K3NWM, for 
>>> writing the script for the wonderful news release. A job well done!!
>>> 
>>> I just finished watching the video and photos taken by Mike, and I was ecstatic to watch what took place on this special occasion. It thrilled my heart to no end, and no wonder Carole Perry could not wait to tell me what happened when she got home. (thanks, Carole!)
>>> 
>>> And on my behalf, Charles Tropp, you did a fabulous job as EmCee, for you were very well prepared. You 'stick handled' this presentation very nicely, and brought many smiles to Charles Hellman. It was great to see his smiles!
>>> 
>>> So I thank you all for the taking of your 
>>> precious time to make the trip to Charles' QTH, and Pete, for making that extra mileage to be there. I know you traveled the greatest distance.
>>> 
>>> 73,
>>> 
>>> Ken Oelke, VE6AFO 
> -- 
> hellmanw at gmail.com                  **********                  Hillsboro, Oregon U.S.A.