06/30/2009 | AC4RC Two suggestions to liven up your FD event next year and to garner extra points.

First, not only invite elected officials to your Field Day event (100 points), but make them part of it. This year, the Azalea Coast ARC in Wilmington, NC had a formal opening ceremony. In the attached picture, Wilmington City Councilwoman Margaret Haynes is about to cut a ribbon at 1800 UTC to kick off the event. Holding the ribbon on the right is ACARC President Capt. Michael Hamby, KG4SRW, and on the left is Don Hayes, member of the New Hanover County (Wilmington) School Board.

ACARC club members spent time explaining to Dr. Hayes the educational benefits of Amateur Radio as a teaching tool for school children. When school board members were invited to be part of our Field Day, we attached to their invitations copies of "The Big Project" brochure from ARRL's Education Dept. One of the Azalea Coast club's members is Dr. Karen Wetherill, KG4BUK, Dean of the Watson School of Education at UNCW, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She spent time with Dr. Hayes, an educator himself and former Navy radio man, explaining how Amateur Radio can fit into curriculum in teaching math, science and social studies. Dr. Hayes stayed for three hours on Saturday and got in a couple of QSOs.

Another neat thing we had this year is that the local Salvation Army post dispatched its canteen truck and fed our club, free of charge. The SA (a served agency worth 100 points) used Field Day as a training exercise itself, then donated the leftover food to operators who worked the overnight hours. The local chapter of the American Red Cross also had its disaster vehicle on display.

Keep elected officials and services from served agencies in mind for next year.

73,
Bill Morine, N2COP
Azalea Coast Amateur Radio Club
Wilmington, NC -- N2COP