STAFF CHANGES AND
PLANNED GIVING
AMA Foundation
By Rusty Kennedy, AMA Foundation Chairman | rusty k716@gmail.com
Because I only write quarterly and this column was due September 1 for the November 2022 issue of Model Aviation, it was not easy to provide current information.
Here we are at the end of a scorching-hot summer with heavy rain. We are quickly coming out of the COVID era and clubs are scheduling all kinds of events. The weather affected a portion of the Nats, but they made it through to the end. Many thanks to everyone who made the Nats a success.
AMA is excited to welcome Steve Haston as the new AMA Foundation director. Steve was first introduced to modeling as a child with Control Line. Professionally, he helped launch, run, and fund the UAS division for Hamilton County Emergency Management in Indiana. As the county’s grant and UAS fundraising manager, Steve raised millions of dollars for the department’s UAS program.
Steve is a general aviation pilot, has a Part 107 license, and is active in the UAS community, including as a speaker at national conferences such as InterDrone and statewide UAS safety conferences. When time allows, Steve occasionally flies models. He hopes to become more active in the hobby again in his new position.
Although AMA was considering full-time remote candidates living across the country, because Steve lives near Indianapolis, he will be able to work in Muncie, Indiana. I am happy to announce that Rachelle Haughn has accepted the donors and programs specialist position in the AMA Foundation department. She will be officially moving into that role later this fall. Congratulations, Rachelle!
Austin Perlee has also rejoined the AMA Foundation team. His knowledge of the AMA Foundation and its programs and grants will be a great assistance to the new AMA Foundation staff.
As you probably know, the primary function of the AMA Foundation is raising funds. My personal favorite is the Torchbearer program (https://amablog.modelaircraft.org/amafoundation/pass-the-torch). I give $100 monthly.
In the next few months, you will be hearing more about planned giving. Planned giving is the process of donating planned gifts. I found an easy-to-understand definition: A planned gift is a contribution that is arranged in the present and allocated at a future date. Commonly donated through a will or trust, planned gifts are most often granted once the donor has passed away.
On National Model Aviation Day, the Hampton Roads Radio Control (HRRC) club in Suffolk, Virginia, held a fun-fly to raise funds for the AMA Foundation. The club’s efforts resulted in a $2,500 donation to the Foundation’s Program Fund.
Please give of your talent, time, and treasures.
