Locally
FAIRS Present at Many Local Events
Ÿ FAIRS has been present at many local functions with event stations, booths, and press articles to make folks aware of our ability to provide emergency help and training. Highlight events of ’11-’12: FAIRS 20th Anniversary On-Air Celebrations; Floyd Town Jubilee, where we sponsored fun radio talk and activities for children;hosting Cub Scouts and other groups at Floyd Community Amateur Radio Station; Amateur Radio Field Day 2011; as supporter of local music at Oak Grove Pavilion; as supporter and public relations help for Floyd Amateur Radio Society; “Heart of the Holidays”, etc.-- we partner with Chantilly Farm to promote goodwill and charity, and to provide communications services.
ARRL Kids Day
Two activities which netted member participation were ARRL Kid’s Day and a “Get On The Air (GOTA)” station, both of which are opportunities for newly licensed amateurs and non-licensed persons to experience first-hand the fun of amateur radio. The Club aspires to be trained and become more involved in public service during the upcoming school year, and to liven programming to attract more students with a wider range of interests.
Local Simulated Emergency Test
On October 19th, we were a host location (one of several in the region) at Floyd Community Amateur Radio Station to a Simulated Emergency Test held from 9am until noon. The test emulated weather conditions that occurred during the Flood of 85 which was a result of Hurricane Juan and a low pressure system that combined. The ground had been saturated by four days of rainfall prior to the arrival of the major rainfall. The hardest hit areas were the Roanoke Valley and surrounding areas. This deluge brought record flooding in Roanoke and Lynchburg VA. The main purpose of the exercise was to test the ability to provide radio communications to agencies that would be responding to an event of this magnitude.
N4FCH Approved as ARRL Affiliate
The amateur radio club at Floyd County High School N4FCH (Floyd County High) recently received notification that is has been approved as an affiliate of American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the national association for amateur radio.Benefits of being ARRL-affiliated are: insurance and equipment discounts, forums with tips for the club to improve its function and service, book and online resources, plus much more!
By official letter sent to the Club, along with a handsome charter to honor the Club’s approval, FCHS ARC was declared a duly affiliated society by ARRL. Club Coordinator Tom King (call sign W4VZH) announced the approval to school club attendees on Thursday, May 9th and the group made plans for a celebration of the charter that was held during meeting time Thursday, May 16th. A framed charter was presented to Principal Tony Deibler. Pizza and refreshments were served.
New Antenna on Top of The Village Green
Ÿ FAIRS and certain members of the community erected a radio tower atop the newly renovated Village Square in the Town of Floyd (now known as The Station on South Locust Street). This tower “connects the dots”, making amateur radio communications continuous over the eastern half of the state. It is to be a public use and attraction, as a service to our citizens and visitors. Emergency communications, a promotion of Town and County, education and outreach are focuses of this effort.
FAIRS Helps Floyd Community Garden Grow
Ÿ Floyd Community Garden (177 Webbs Mill Road, Rt. 8 at Northside Plaza) has been established for use by individuals and organizations --as a wholesome activity, and/or to produce healthy food items to share. April 14th was opening day for the 2012 season. Plenty! has rehabbed the space at Northside Plaza, and taken on board Ananda Underwood, Plenty! social work intern from Radford University and Alexis Bressler, coordinator of community and elementary school gardens for Plenty! In April ’12, a dozen volunteers from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Washington D.C. worked for several days on the elementary school gardens and community garden. FAIRS has donated the use of land for the Community Garden, and 10’ x 10’ plots are available to participants by approved application and agreement. The Plenty! Group is overseeing the project (Karen Day and McCabe Coolidge are co-founders – more information atwww.plentylocal.org).
FAIRS Emergency Management Training
March 14, 2012
Floyd Amateur Radio Society W4FCV in cooperation with the Floyd County Department of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service sponsored Sky Warn training class at Station 1 Rescue Squad building on March 14th, 2012. Sky Warn is people informing the National Weather Service (NWS) what the weather conditions are, on the ground, at their homes or in areas while traveling. One does not have to be an Amateur Radio Operator to be a Sky Warn spotter. There is a program called WX Spots that is free to put on your computer – it will connect with the NWS and you can connect with a volunteer during an event.
Abroad
FAIRS Works With Love One, Teach One
Much time was spent working with notable feeding/after school help programs for
children. FAIRS works closely with “Love One, Teach One” (LOTO) Foundation’s student
programs, led by Gloria Walsh, and right now assisted by Peace Corps volunteer Karrie Katz
from Greensboro, NC. FAIRS also has great relationship with pre-schools and primary schools
on the island near the capital city of Roseau. In 2011, FAIRS purchased supplies for painting of
Wotten Waven Primary School and did washing and cleaning at the school. Now, there is a
beautiful mural painting which was done by Peace Corps worker Maggie Rust.
children. FAIRS works closely with “Love One, Teach One” (LOTO) Foundation’s student
programs, led by Gloria Walsh, and right now assisted by Peace Corps volunteer Karrie Katz
from Greensboro, NC. FAIRS also has great relationship with pre-schools and primary schools
on the island near the capital city of Roseau. In 2011, FAIRS purchased supplies for painting of
Wotten Waven Primary School and did washing and cleaning at the school. Now, there is a
beautiful mural painting which was done by Peace Corps worker Maggie Rust.
FAIRS Trip to Hamvention in Dayton, OH
A highlight was a trip to Dayton, OH for this year’s Hamvention, a large convention of ham radio which the Larsens attend each year. FAIRS has operated a booth there since 1993. They were very fortunate this year to sell nearly all of the items which Helen had brought from Ukraine: hand-painted wares and Matryoshka nesting dolls. Besides fundraising, they had fun meeting-and-greeting, which is always a large part of the festivities. Members of Dayton Amateur Radio Association were happy to converse with Helen, and they awarded FAIRS a donation by the club. It is an honor for FAIRS to be recognized in this way, for several years now.
Helen Goncharsky Visits Floyd
Helen engaged in an array of activities and participated at a number of local and regional events during the course of her stay in Floyd. She was able to do some sight-seeing, make visits to local groups, and she shopped at several Floyd locales for items to take back home. Helen took some great photos: at springtime’s Floyd Auto Fair at Chantilly Farm, of friends and the countryside. Some great memories were made; the girls even had a “cabin on the river” getaway!
FAIRS 2013 Visit to Dominica
During their stay, FAIRS assisted members of the Dominica Amateur Radio Club, Inc. (DARCI) with equipment repairs and checks of emergency radio communications systems. DARCI Emergency Communications Center is now rentable to touring hams as a source of revenue for the Club. Stephen Bloom KL7SB from Anchorage, Alaska was a guest, so FAIRS was able to meet with him and his wife and take a break from operating for awhile. Licensed operators like Stephen can visit Dominica & use the Club station and its accommodations. Friends back home and other hams will want to make contact – a small country with relatively few licensed operators (compared to a highly populated country) makes it “in high demand” for amateurs to connect with. It is a great location for making lots of contacts in a radio contest.
Grenada Amateur Radio Club Official
Grenada Amateur Radio Club is now recognized as the body to conduct exams for amateur radio licenses. They have a new website www.garc.gd/ These islanders have exceriseized their own disaster preparedness plan, and equipped their volunteers for the job. FAIRS has given radio equipment, literature, and funds for outreach. Along with that, a hi-gain antenna and peripheral equipment have been shipped to Grenada.
Joyce LaRonde Visits from Dominica
FAIRS was host to Joyce LaRonde from Dominica, who is visiting to the States related to elder care, which she provides. Joyce attended several community functions and gatherings the first part of March, and spoke to groups (including youth – student age) about their impact and potential for goodwill outreach.
No comments:
Post a Comment