AN ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
AMA Foundation
By Rusty Kennedy, AMA Foundation Chairman| rustyk716@gmail.com
It is springtime and I am certainly glad. The older I get, the less I tolerate winter weather.
I have been busy with AMA obligations, and writing this column is one of them. The AMA Foundation had a great 2021. The foundation reached its fundraising goals and it was all made possible by the AMA members who financially supported AMA programs.
I invite those who are reading this column to visit the AMA Foundation website at https://amablog.modelaircraft.org/amafoundation and discover all of the programs that the AMA Foundation helps to support. My personal favorite is the Torchbearer campaign at https://amablog.modelaircraft.org/amafoundation/pass-the-torch. It is easy to do, and you can set up a monthly donation. Yes, I am a Torchbearer.
In all, the AMA Foundation raised $272,951 through 3,643 individual gifts last year.
Another great way to help provide financial support is the Legacy or the Planned Giving program. This is the process of donating a major gift that is arranged in the present and allocated at a future date. Commonly donated through a will or trust, planned gifts are often granted after a donor has passed away and can include gifts of equity, life insurance, real estate, personal property, or cash. More information can be found at https://amablog.modelaircraft.org/amafoundation/planned-giving-2.
2022 is the AMA Year of the Club. Now is the time for clubs to start preparing and applying for AMA Foundation grants. There are several grants that a club can apply for, including the AMA Club Recognition & Reward Grant, Flying Site Improvement Grant, and Take off And Grow. Please take the time to read about these programs. They are there for clubs to benefit from.
I encourage everyone to listen to the AMA Podcast, episode 86, “Looking Ahead to 2022.” It is a review of 2021, but, more importantly, it looks ahead into 2022. There are lots of exciting things happening at AMA. The episode can be found on the AMA website.
As the AMA Foundation chairman and a District IV associate vice president, I will be visiting clubs and meeting with members to see what AMA and the AMA Foundation can do for them.
I plan to attend the 2022 Joe Nall Week and the 2022 AMA National Fun Fly. Joe Nall Week, in Woodruff, South Carolina, is great, and you do not need to have an airplane to enjoy it.
The AMA National Fun Fly is a perfect time for a visit to the AMA International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. You can get a tour of the AMA Headquarters building and visit the National Model Aviation Museum. Don’t forget to bring an airplane to fly. Register for the AMA National Fun Fly at www.modelaircraft.org/funfly.
The 10th annual National Model Aviation Day will be celebrated on August 13, 2022. Let us make it the best one yet. Clubs will be able to register online. There is no fee, and an AMA sanction is not required.
I enjoy hearing from AMA members, and I am available nearly any time. The easiest way is to give me a call at (757) 812-2812. If I do not answer, please leave a message and I will return your call.
Finally, I want to recognize two people who work tirelessly for the AMA Foundation: AMA Foundation Director Kelsie Walker, Ph.D., and Donor and Programs Specialist Austin Perlee. They manage all of the AMA Foundation programs and interact with members every day. Without them, the AMA Foundation would not be what it is today.
