Re: All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go?

From: Don Slusarczyk <don5490_at_sbcglobal.net>
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 18:19:05 -0500

    As this is a moderator approved topic, I will give you our experience.
   
    The deal we have here in Ohio is a pretty good one. Many of you know
or know of Dr. Vernon Hacker, his wife Nancy went to the Andrews Girls
School and they have been donors to the school for many years. We have
had access to the gym for about 10 years now. They actually have 2 gyms,
one is 20ft smooth but very small, really only one model up at a time.
The second gym is higher, 25 ft and much bigger but open girderwork. We
now can fly anytime the gym is available, typically Sundays. Several of
us have keys so we can get in and lock up when we leave. We have access
to the lights and the blower system. There is a small group of us who
donate money and we generally like to collect between $600 and $1000 per
year and it is donated to the school for letting us use the gym.
    I think because this is a private school there is little (if any)
public use of the facilities. My daughters elementary school has a
flyable gym but because the school is public other non school groups are
allowed public access to it. Such as ping pong, basketball, soccer
practice, etc, all non school related. Now for us it is free to use, but
it is hard to get scheduled in. Fortunately my wife is PTO president
and is able to find out when the school gym is unoccupied, so I am going
to try the air out one day. Sadly you only get about 1 to 2 hours per
session, before the next groups is allowed access. So you only get a few
flights in before you have to leave. I would suggest trying private
schools instead of public. The Andrews school is really generous with
us, and has never asked for any money, we just donate it and they are
pleased with the situation. Perhaps you can find something similar.
    When I was younger the janitor at my Junior High School was a nice
guy (Wally), my dad and I stopped one day and talked to him , showed him
a model, and he let us fly whenever we wanted. We could fly from like 6
to 9 pm and he would clean the gym last so we could fly as long as
possible, sometimes to 10 pm. Throw in a 6 pack of beer once in a while
and he was real happy, we did that for 2 years before he left the
school. Also dont bring up rental cost until they do. You have to show
them a model first, if you call and say I want to fly a model in your
gym, then they think either big gas RC or control line (true life
experience) Once they see what you have it makes life much easier. If
they want money tell them are only a few of you. I talked down the
rental at our one indoor contest from $250/hour to $800 for the whole
day. So it can be done. Just takes patience. Look at what Van Gorder did
for West Baden, took him 18 years of dinners and meeting to get those
few contests.
   

Don
Received on Thu Dec 15 2005 - 15:22:11 CET