2013 Convention Wrap Up
Short Wings Over Saratoga – 2013 SWPC Convention
It’s late and we need to get on the road early – so here’s a short recap of today’s events.
I will get pictures to post in the days to come and will get them up on the site asap.
~Myrna
Today was another good weather day – ideal for our free day to spend in and around Saratoga Springs!
At 5:30 this evening we started our Convention Banquet. President Peter Lubig opened the banquet and announced that George & Tyke Klitsch are the 2013 inductees into the SWPC Hall of Honor.
Before we started our meals, Ralph Gutowski offered a prayer.
Dinner was a wonderful buffet of salad, vegetables, roast fingerling potatoes, haddock, veal and beef rounded out with a variety of cakes to choose from for dessert. The food was great!
Recording Secretary, Art Weisberger, announced the results of the elections and by-law vote.
- The by-law amendment was not accepted
- Art Weisberger will serve as Recording Secretary for another term
- Connie Stevens is our new President
Our guest speaker, Troy Harmon, gave a talk and slideshow about his adventures flying to and around Alaska. A good description of what he talked about can be found at: Author of book about flight to Alaska to be banquet speaker (click on title to view story). After the banquet, he signed copies of his book, 14 Days to Alaska.
After Troy’s talk, Convention Chair took the podium to thank the Convention team, hand out raffle prizes and give announce awards.
Poker Run – Kevin Weidner (I’m assuming his son Zac flew with him as well) won the poker run with a hand of three sevens. Kevin, his wife, Michele, and sons Zac and Jacob arrived at the convention in a Twin Comanche – and yes, they flew the poker run in the Twin!
Drawings for raffle prizes happened next. There were a variety of nice prizes including many cash prizes. A good number of those winning cash prizes donated the cash to the Education Foundation. The amount isn’t firm but Andy quickly calculated that somewhere between $1,300 and $1,500 of raffle sales were donated to the Education Foundation during the convention.
Aircraft Awards – we had all Short Wing aircraft types represented at this convention except for a Vagabond. Because of the small number of planes, all planes that managed to fly in to the convention were judged.
Here are the winners:
- Best Clipper – Barbara & Gilbert Pierce’s Red Lady, N5834H
- Best Pacer – Paul & Heather Gagnon’s CF-GAG
- Best PA22/2o Pacer – Jack & Sandy Madden’s N8879C
- Best TriPacer – Sid & Sue Brain’s N8457D
- Best Colt – Tom & Amber McKernan’s N5883Z
- Best Non-SWPC – Steve McKeon’s original design “Minion”, NX49SM
- Bev Jewett Grand Champion Memorial Award – Dale Berger’s PA220-150, N87NM
Following Aircraft Awards, Connie Stevens was congratulated on her new role as SWPC President for the next term.
Outgoing President, Peter Lubig, made some closing remarks.
Board Member, Mark Ohlau, read a statement on behalf of Vice President, Kurt Selbert, and Board Member, John Kobbeman, announcing their resignations from the board. Mark also announced his resignation
Ralph Gutowski, in the tradition started by late member, Steve Marsh, officially announced the convention is suspended until 2014.
After saying good-byes, many SWPC members went outside our hotel and enjoyed a brilliant display of fireworks at Congress Park.