District V—Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, US Virgin Islands
gafrrfd3@gmail.com
2389 Dublin Eastman Rd., Dexter GA 31019
Tel.: (478) 484-3845; www.amadistrict-v.org
Don Wise, South Carolina associate vice president (AVP), sent in the following event report.
The Lexington Radio Kontrol Society (LARKS) held its fourth annual Spring Fling Benefit for Cancer at the Modern Turf Sod Farm in Dalzell, South Carolina, on April 4, 2015. The previous events have raised more than $25,000 for charity, and this year’s event was the largest and most successful to date.
A group of vivacious young women, brought together by a diagnosis of breast cancer, chose to create a group called the Ta-tinis, who raise money and awareness for this disease.
The Ta-tinis website states: “Our goal is to promote awareness and join the community in the fight against breast cancer. Our passion is to improve the ‘cancer journey’ while educating, directing, and empowering young women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.” The LARKS Spring Fling benefits the Ta-tinis and the work they do. During the prize raffle, the Ta-tinis pose for pictures with the winners. This is only fitting because the Ta-tinis are winners themselves!
This year’s event started with cloudy skies and wind, but by lunch the sky was sunny with the wind still blowing. The site is a sod farm with wide-open spaces and four flightlines for general, helicopters, small electrics, and a pond for float flying and boats. The LARKS also brought in large lights for night flying.
Contest Director (CD) Steve Livingston had 126 pilots to oversee. He did a great job, and I am sure he has a new appreciation for golf carts.
A local paper sent out a reporter/photographer and Flying Giants had a representative covering the event.
A youth organization, the Nehemiah Project, came to enjoy RC for the first time. This group provides after-school tutoring, and exposes young people to new experiences. Those in attendance had to earn the right to be there and the LARKS made sure that the group ate for free.
The Spring Fling is also known for its money-raising raffle. This year, the raffle prizes, valued at $11,000, covered a 45-foot flatbed trailer. One pilots-only prize consisted of an RTF Extreme Flight 30% Extra powered by a DA-50 with tuned pipe and many extras, completely built. The other pilots-only prize was an RTF Align Trex 500L Dominator with receiver and battery, expertly built by Marcus Kim. The Extra package was valued at $2,500 and the Trex at $800. The pilot who won the airplane had it auctioned off with half the proceeds going to the charity.
An event such as this takes plenty of work from the club and volunteers. Congratulations to all involved. This was a lot of fun for everyone who attended and they raised $9,500 for charity, which brings the four-year total to $34,000. This also puts our hobby in the public eye so that’s a combination that is hard to beat.
The 2016 Spring Fling will be the first weekend in April. Put it on your calendar.
