Ama Across America
The AMA Foundation’s 2025 outreach efforts
By Clarissa Poston
clarissap@modelaircraft.org
Photos by AMA staff
The AMA Foundation took 2025 as an opportunity to renew, strengthen, and further its relationship with AMA clubs, members, and donors across the country. From attending various events to visiting numerous clubs, AMA Foundation staff made a true effort to get into our community of hobbyists and see what we could do to help.
AMA Foundation Executive Director Steve Haston, Deputy Director Rachelle Haughn, and I had a fantastic time meeting members from across the country. I’m excited to share with you a very summarized version of our 2025 outreach efforts, and I encourage you to visit our website, listed in “Sources,” to read more in-depth articles about each outreach effort that was enacted, some of which aren’t mentioned in this article.
Major Events Attended
Throughout 2025, AMA Foundation staff made an effort to travel to and attend major events, ensuring that we had a presence in front of thousands of current and prospective members and hobbyists. This allowed us to share our mission, vision, and passion on a much larger scale, ensuring that as many people as possible were inspired to pick up a transmitter and get involved.
Toledo R/C Swap Meet & Expo, April 4–5; Toledo, Ohio
Steve and Rachelle attended the 2025 Toledo R/C Swap Meet & Expo for the first time this past year. While there, they answered questions, received crucial feedback, and met various AMA members and donors. Steve found time to walk around the show and discuss future partnership opportunities with many of the other vendors and businesses that were present.
AMA ACROSS AMERICA
Dayton ModelRama, April 25-26; Dayton, Ohio
The entire AMA Foundation team traveled to the Dayton ModelRama 2025 swap meet and auction. With two booths representing both AMA and the AMA Foundation, our team renewed AMA memberships, caught up with members and donors, and hosted our inaugural AMA Foundation donor dinner, during which we shared information about our scholarships, grants, and new programs with tables full of donors, hobbyists, and vendors.
CenterPoint Energy Dayton Air Show, June 21-22; Dayton, Ohio
The AMA Foundation staff attended the 2025 CenterPoint Energy Dayton Air Show. With thousands of aviation enthusiasts in attendance, this was a great opportunity for us to connect with current and prospective AMA members, introduce the excitement of model aviation to new audiences, and share our inspiring mission with an extremely diverse crowd.
in our local community. AMA has been deemed the “hidden gem” of Muncie, Indiana, so attending these events and making our fellow community members aware of the great benefits that AMA offers is crucial to the growth of our hobby and organization.
Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show, September 6-7; Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Steve and Rachelle attended the 2025 Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show. At this event, they assisted with STEAM-focused, hands-on learning activities, spent a lot of time with AMA District I’s New England Outreach Team, and witnessed full-scale and model aviation come together seamlessly.
While attending the 2025 Dayton ModelRama swap meet and auction, AMA Foundation staff hosted an inaugural AMA Foundation donor dinner, during which they presented appreciation certificates and shared upcoming initiatives with supportive AMA members and donors.
LOCAL EVENTS ATTENDED
AMA Foundation staff not only attended major events across the country, but we also ensured that our presence was known
Aviation Community Day, July 12; Indianapolis
Steve joined another AMA staff member at the seventh annual Aviation Community Day in Indianapolis. This event allows people of all ages to be exposed to education and outreach related to the aviation industry and the sport of model aviation.
Steve brought the AMA Model Aviation Experience Sponsored by Wing simulation trailer to the event, allowing attendees to try their hand at virtual flight.
Fire Up DWNTWN, August 2; Muncie, Indiana
Steve and I attended the 2025 Fire Up DWNTWN event in Muncie. The AMA Model Aviation Experience Sponsored by Wing simulation trailer was present, allowing hundreds of local community members to virtually try flight. Steve and I had the opportunity to speak to past, current, and prospective members, inviting them to the International Aeromodeling Center (IAC) to spectate the impressive 2025 Nats competition.
Bluebird Days Festival, August 23; Selma, Indiana
Steve traveled to Selma to attend the Bluebird Days Festival with the AMA Model Aviation Experience Sponsored by Wing simulation trailer. Throughout this event, the trailer saw lots of intrigued visitors, many of whom attempted to fly for the very first time!
Steve stopped at the Cleveland Radio Control Club in Ohio while traveling to the Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show as an opportunity for club members to give their input and voice their needs.
Carl Kizer Summerfest Community Picnic, July 18; Muncie, Indiana
This year, the AMA Foundation sponsored the Soup Kitchen of Muncie’s 2025 Carl Kizer Summerfest Community Picnic for the very first time. This event was created many years ago to provide free resources, information, and food to underserved community members in the Muncie area. The AMA Foundation was thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute via both monetary and food-based donations, in addition to providing handouts about free-to-spectate aeromodeling events and local clubs to broaden our community’s ability to experience the joy of flight.
UAS4STEM, July 21-27; Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Each year, the AMA Foundation sponsors AMA’s exciting UAS4STEM event at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. This event is a fantastic opportunity for youth to get involved in our hobby, learn in-depth processes and procedures related to STEM education and aviation, and become inspired to pursue aviation-focused career opportunities. The AMA Foundation is always wowed by the talents of UAS4STEM participants, and we’re grateful to contribute to such an important and inspiring event each year!
McAlister’s Free Tea Day, July 17; Muncie, Indiana
The entire AMA Foundation team attended the local McAlister’s Deli Free Tea Day community event. While there, we taught community members about the hobby and made them aware of AMA’s campus, offering virtual RC flying opportunities on a flight simulator. I flew a drone to show a real-life example of flight in action.
EVENT SPONSORSHIPS
Sponsoring events throughout 2025 allowed the AMA Foundation to show its dedication to AMA members, donors, and model aviation as a whole. Whether it was through sponsoring a model aviation event or a non-aviation community activity, these sponsorships helped us get AMA’s name out into our community, ensuring that the joy of flight can be recognized and appreciated by all.
2025 AMA Nats, July 5-August 5; multiple event locations
Each year, the AMA Foundation sponsors the AMA Nats. This annual event is a fantastic show of our hobbyists’ talent and love for model aviation, and we’re thrilled to contribute to this event’s success each year. The AMA Foundation always looks forward to joining hobbyists in this yearly celebration of model aviation competition and providing funding to branded swag!
EVENTS HOSTED AT AMA
Hosting events at AMA and the IAC allows the AMA Foundation to share our pristine facility with those in our community, many of whom have not visited AMA’s property before! These on-site events also allow us to provide exciting, hands-on model aviation experiences to event attendees, whether it’s through
AMA ACROSS AMERICA
buddy-boxing, simulator flights, or a tour of the National Model Aviation Museum.
Purdue Grant Writing Class, January 16 and January 30
The AMA Foundation hosted and attended a two-day grant writing class. This class not only allowed our team to become equipped with the skills and knowledge that are needed to secure more funding for our programs and mission, but it also allowed us to introduce our facility and our hobby to the numerous students who were present.
Purdue Extension Meeting, February 20
The AMA Foundation hosted the Purdue Extension Annual Meeting in the National Model Aviation Museum’s McCullough Room. This event marked a significant step in fostering a collaborative relationship between AMA and Purdue University. After the meeting, attendees were taken on an exclusive tour of the National Model Aviation Museum, where they explored rich history and technological advancements in model aviation.
Rotary Club of Muncie, June 17
The AMA Foundation welcomed members of the Rotary Club of Muncie to AMA Headquarters for one of the club’s weekly meetings. During the lunch, we were thrilled to be able to share information about AMA’s history and the hobby and sport of model aviation, all while ensuring that local community members were made aware of our presence in Muncie.
Boy Scouts of America, June 28
The AMA Foundation welcomed 44 Boy Scouts from the White River Scouting District, along with their parents and siblings, to the IAC for an exciting day of aviation discovery. Not only did the Scouts get to work on receiving their badges in slingshot, archery, and shooting, but they were also able to experience the thrill of virtual flight in the AMA Model Aviation Experience Sponsored by Wing simulation trailer.
AMA CLUB INTERACTIONS
Throughout 2025, AMA Foundation staff visited numerous AMA clubs across the country. Steve and I traveled to Millersburg, Indiana, to visit a local club and a group of hobbyists in an Amish community. The hobbyists were interested in learning how to become a chartered club, and because we provided them with information during our visit, they have since reached AMA Chartered Club status!
In addition to this trip, Steve traveled to various parts of Indiana to visit local and semi-local clubs. He also made an active effort to visit as many clubs as possible on his drive to and from New Hampshire in August and September, scheduling visits in advance to make sure that as many clubs as possible were reached. Detailed posts about each of these club visits can be found on the AMA Foundation website. I encourage you to explore the “Foundation News” portion of our website to learn more about them. To view videos from the club visits, I also encourage you to stop by the “Foundation Videos” portion of our website! AMA clubs have great insight into the world of model aviation, and hearing about their outreach efforts, events, and history is always very impactful.
For the AMA Foundation, 2025 was an awe-inspiring year. Not only were we able to forge and strengthen relationships with local and nationwide organizations, which allowed us to further spread and celebrate model aviation on a larger scale, but we were also able to learn more about the AMA members and donors who fuel our mission.
From in-person lunches to phone calls and email conversations to biography submissions, the AMA Foundation thoroughly enjoyed learning the unique stories that each of our members and donors bring to our community of hobbyists.
We’re already planning for and looking forward to our 2026 travels, member and donor meetings, and community outreach activities. If you are interested in meeting with AMA Foundation staff or scheduling a visit at your club, please contact Steve by emailing stephenh@modelaircraft.org or calling (765) 287-1256, ext. 279.
Here’s to 2026! We’re looking forward to taking our hobby off to new heights alongside you—the wind beneath AMA’s wings.
SOURCES:
AMA Foundation
(765) 287-1256, ext. 279
foundation@modelaircraft.org
modelaircraft.org/foundation
2025 AMA Foundation Partnership Packet
bit.ly/4ptqh9e
