Headquarters Chatter, Greg Fletcher – Fall 2021
Hello, friends ! As I sit down to write, we are approaching the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. Another year has nearly passed us by! We just finished our 2021 Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and it was a great event! I am thinking about 2022 and wondering what it has in store for us. I am convinced that it will be a year of progress, and I look forward to where we will be next year at this time!
As I contemplate the season ahead, my mind echoes the word, “maintenance”. Previously, we’ve mulled over “emergency procedures” and the concept of “First, fly the aircraft!”. I have been considering how, without maintenance, you can keep a plane in the air! If you know that routine maintenance hasn’t been performed on an airliner, do you really want to step on when they call your boarding group? In preparation for our coming “scheduled flights”, VAHS will be performing some “routine maintenance” in the coming season.
The Board is reviewing our By-Laws and updating some aspects to bring them in line with our current reality. We are looking at our archives and asking some serious questions about how we can maintain them and make them more accessible. We are considering our day-to-day activities and deciding how to become better at what we do. We are working to recruit new members, and retain the ones we have. We are also reviewing our finances and fundraising. All of this is required to remain healthy and provide excellent services to our community!
Do you have skills that might benefit the Society, but have never really taken an active role? We would love to hear from you! I often say that we exist because of generous donors. That holds true for donations of time and skill as well as money! If you think your skills could benefit the Society, please let us know and we will see if we can find a suitable match for your skills and the greater needs of VAHS!
As always, I remind you…we are only as strong as our member base! YOU are our greatest resource! Lean in with us and let’s do this!
Think about it. Are there ways you might be able to serve the Society right where you are? Together, let’s look to new possibilities in 2022!! Reach out if you have a skill you would like to leverage for the good of the Society. We will help you discover a fruitful avenue to engage with us.
Our Vision: “We will be the premiere association respected for inspirational programs in preservation, education and appreciation of Virginia air and space history for current and future generations.”
As we focus on “Routine Maintenance” for a season, please remember – It is the generous support of our members that “maintains” our healthy existence. Please consider making a tax-deductible sustaining gift to the Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society today! You can make a difference!