If you ran a hotdogs stand and sold your dogs and cokes for only a fraction of what they cost you, you wouldn’t be in business very long. Similarly, running a Flying Club and selling flying and bar drinks at a subsidized rate, doesn’t seem to make sense either. And yet when we dig deeper into the history of the Abbotsford Flying Club, we find that we have done just that AND, not only survived for 55 years, but prospered. How, you may ask yourself? Well, it’s because of the hard work and dedication of some, not all, members. Only through hard-working volunteer members can these subsidies exist. And we are not a business. Take a closer look at how the Club functions. Members stand for election to the Board of Directors; they volunteer to Airshow; they get involved in Wings and Wheels; First Flight for Kids; Broken Prop: Clubhouse repair and renovation projects; Friday TGIF’s; countless committees and projects. Through money earned AND money saved the Club benefits. For members, (new and old) to simply fly the airplanes at subsidized rates and enjoy the cheap drinks in our lounge, is not helping the Club. If you’re a member and not contributing in some meaningful way to the Club, it’s time to ask yourself why you joined. And while you contemplate your answer, take the time to thank one or all of these individuals who are contributing to your enjoyment of the AFC. Come out on a Friday night and meet the members and find out what’s going on with the Club. Join the crowd on Sunday morning for the weekly flyout. Say thanks to Ed Boon for organizing Wings and Wheels; thank Deryn and Keith for the new roof on the patio; to Bob Bryan and his crew for the great breakfast at W & W; to Mark and Ron for First Flights for Kids; Murray and Leanne Webb for TGIF; to your executive for looking after the Club’s business, and our precious assets, our planes. And I know I’ve left people off this list who also deserve our thanks and for that I apologize, but I think you get the idea. Find out who’s doing what and help them out. We’re all in this together. Which bring me to the point of this rant; don’t simply be an eater of cheap hotdogs. Get involved and when the Nominating Committee contacts you over the next few weeks and asks you to serve on the executive, say “YES”, I will become an active part of this amazing AFC.

Clark Closkey