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May 14, 2009 Opinions |
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—Guest Opinion—
Wings Over Baker Airshow Takes A Year Off
By Mel Cross
I am writing to announce that after nine successful years of the “Wings Over Baker” airshow, we have decided to take a year off. A lot of folks have been asking about it, so we thought we should let you know why.
This was an incredibly tough decision to make, as it has become a popular summer event for the community, having started out as a fly-in breakfast for local people and pilots from out of the area, and evolving into a two-day event that includes a night pyrotechnic show aerobatic airplanes in the night sky to glider rides, skydives, helicopter rides, vendors and ending on Saturday with a two-hour aerobatic airshow. The original huckleberry pancake breakfast continues to be as well liked as ever.
Now the three reasons for canceling the 2009 show: economy, economy, economy.
The airshow has a cost of $25,000. It is difficult to sponsor an event with this kind of expense without funds on hand before the event, which is what we have always done and worry about gate fees and donors making it work.
Our plans are to bring it back in 2010 with some fundraising events between now and then. We would need to raise between ten and fifteen thousand dollars in order to make it feasible to have the show. We have some ideas but are asking for more and hope you will support it in a couple ways. One is that we would never turn down outright contributions and two, we would like to hear from you if you have some fundraising ideas. We would also like to have anyone who would like to be a member of WOB, we would welcome you, and there is no cost. We will not work you to death and will not “meeting” you to death. We just want people who are of the same interest with the group for events like Wings Over Baker Airshow. I know we can make it work.
Our Wings Over Baker is a 501C3 nonprofit group, formed for a variety of reasons. We will continue the airshow but would also like to fund a yearly $1,000 scholarship for a high school student with the ability and desire to learn to fly as a career, receive his or her student pilot’s license, and historic air museum is not out of the question as well.
Thank you for your continued support, and we hope to see you at one of our fundraising events.
Memorial Day Is For Patriots
By David K. Rehbein
In some circles, patriotism has become a synonym for arrogant or jingoistic. Some people even use it as a political weapon; “Don’t question my patriotism,” they say. Yet, this Memorial Day, and every other day for that matter, we should remember that those who died for this country are the true patriots.
Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes called Memorial Day, “our most respected holiday,” and urged that “we not ponder with sad thoughts the passing of our heroes but rather ponder their legacy – the life they made possible for us by their commitment and pain.”
At its core, Memorial Day has always commemorated the universal all-encompassing understanding of, “No greater love than this does any man have, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
President Lincoln put their sacrifice into perspective at the battlefield in Gettysburg when he said, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.”
After the terrorists struck us on 9/11, America was changed. Our all volunteer force responded. People with comfortable jobs left their towns and deployed with their Reserve and Guard units. Some even joined the active-duty forces. The existing military responded in its typical heroic fashion, overthrowing a tyrannical regime in Afghanistan and battling ruthless insurgents in Iraq. Thousands gave their lives.
The call to freedom came and they answered. Just as their predecessors in the two world wars, Korea, Vietnam, Beirut, Grenada, and the Persian Gulf, the War on Terrorism is being won by ordinary Americans making extraordinary sacrifices.
One such man was Marine Cpl. Travis Braddack-Nail of Portland, Ore. He played the drums, loved punk rock and drove his mother crazy with his tattoos. Although he hoped to attend college, he extended his stay in Iraq to help his platoon. “The platoon wasn’t surprised by his decision. He would always step in and take his spot,” a Marine buddy recalled.
Travis was killed two months later in an explosion during a mine-clearing operation near Karbala. We owe Travis, and the men and women like him, our unending respect and gratitude.
The Preamble to The American Legion’s Constitution states in part, “to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars.” On Memorial Day, we call on all Americans to do this.
Memorial Day is not about trips to the beach or sporting events. It’s not about politics. It’s about people who have decided that the United States is worth dying for. It’s about patriots.
David K. Rehbein, of Ames, Iowa, is national commander of the 2.6 million-member American Legion, www.legion.org, the nation’s largest wartime veterans organization.
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