You can get at me anytime Colin. I’ve got a thick skin.
I do understand what you are getting at. When I became secretary of our local model club (no longer so; I’ve done more than my share) I soon noticed that it was the same few volunteers doing the maintenance work, and the same few members rolling up every Sunday in their big cars, flying their expensive model aeroplanes for a couple of hours, and never offering to cut a blade of grass! Actually we were never short of “cash”, but “kind” could always have been a bit more forthcoming.
By the way, I didn’t miss the crack about “newbies”. In fact although I’ve been here ... well it says 2012 but I’m sure it is longer (I seem to recall that the date was reset after a previous “website glitch”) ... anyway, after the latest “glitch” I see that my Posts count has gone back to zero. I’m not counting, but I’m getting just a bit too long-in-the-tooth to revert back to Cabin Boy; and I’m certainly not prepared to squeeze into the apple barrel any more! (An old sailor’s joke. If you don’t understand the reference then it is probably just as well.)
In any case I wasn’t thinking of me. We are getting a bit off-topic for this string but perhaps I can briefly share a story. (Me ... brief! But I’ll try.) My old modelling friend (sadly no longer with us) was nearer 80 than 70 when I first met him. Let’s call him Jack (because that was his name). Jack was old enough to have flown in the RAF towards the end of WW2. He was an exceptionally skilful model builder and flyer, but also modest about his abilities and generous with his time to help others, and never asked for nor expected anything in return.
He had never had the opportunity to accumulate a generous - or even adequate pension by today’s standards. I think Jack was 80 or 81, he was on his third pacemaker and his wife had been in and out of hospital with angina, when he apologised to me that he wouldn’t be renewing his club membership. Although he was still building and flying models, with the club fees and the BMFA fees and insurance, and the cost of petrol to travel the 10 miles to the flying site and back, he really couldn’t justify the expense any more. I had to turn down several offers and actually return some cheques to “anonymous” donors who wanted him to stay with us. As “luck and coincidence” would have it, at the next club AGM there was a unanimous vote to make him our first - and as far as I’m aware the only Honorary Life Member.
Your right Colin, it’s a people thing, but lets applaud the good ones as well as criticise the foot-draggers.
Rog
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