I was already retired when Hurricane Katrina hit us here in New Orleans. Linda was still working at the time for Cox Communications and since the population of the city had been reduced to one half of what it once was after the storm, COX asked us to move to Georgia where she would take the position of Collections Manager. Her office was in Macon but we settled in th small bedroom community of Byron, GA which is right outside of Warner Robbins, GA. This is where I got involved with GAMA (Georgia Aircraft Modelers Assoc). They had a huge grass field between Byron and Ft. Valley, GA in the pecan grove country. There were 120 members at the time I joined in 2006 and there were only 3 of us who flew control line, everyone else flew RC. A man by the name of Norm Deputy was the Secretary/Treasurer of the club at that time and he and I worked out a plan to put in a control line circle at the far end of the field. It was just a rough uncared part of the field that had never been used for anything except for planting crops. Myself and the other two guys that flew control line went to work and mowed, plowed and seeded the area that was designated as ours and after about 3 years we had a really pretty Bermuda grass control line circle to fly on. Norm got us a canopy shelter, some tables and even some stadium type aluminum seating for spectators. We had a really nice place to fly after a few years.
The club was well off financially and that was because we sponsored the show in Perry, GA every year. I worked the show for three years and remember that at that time, we filled 5 huge buildings at the fair grounds and sold over 1000 tables every year we held the show. I think it became the largest show of its kind in the United States. People came from all over the country to buy and sell.
The great majority of the products for sale were RC related but there were a lot of control line related items to be had if you searched hard enough. I called Tom Morris and asked him to come to the show that year and he did and he sold a lot of his products.
Those of us who flew control line, held a stunt demonstration outside in one of the fairground areas and invited people to come out and take the handle with one of us to get the feel of flying control line. We especially encouraged the kids to come out and fly with us.
I was a member of GAMA for the 5 years we lived there before we moved back to New Orleans and it was a wonderful experience and I made many friends there and it made me proud to have been part of the initial movement to get control line established with that club.
Norm Deputy passed away shortly after we moved back to New Orleans and I understand the club named the field after him. He was the driving force of that club and I am sure he was sorely missed after his death.
If you ever have the chance to attend the show they put on in Perry, GA, it is a weekend you will really enjoy and hopefully will pick up on some really good items at very good prices.
Mike
Topic: We got the best hobby store (Read 735 times)