Letter from the Executive Director
Abby Austin
Happy New Year Airmen Members!
I hope you had a lovely holiday season and are looking forward to what 2022 has to bring. This is my favorite time of year: Scholarship Season!! Awarding scholarships is one the most fulfilling aspects of my role with the Airmen and I hope it is just as rewarding for our members. Last year, we really took a leap in our efforts by awarding $59,000 to 24 winners and I was so proud of what the team accomplished. This year, however, I have been completely blown away by how the members have truly outdone themselves! Thanks to member contributions either as gifts or raffle ticket purchases, we have raised $95,000 to give away this year! Last year we had 100 applicants, so the need is great, and we are thrilled to be able to support even more people training towards their aviation goals in the 2022 season.
It seems clear that this sort of thing snowballs. The more we raise, the more people we are able to support, then awareness of the program grows, and we’re able to fund even more scholarships the following year. It would be an incredible milestone to reach $100,000 this season and it's not too late to help us get there. There are many ways to contribute, and any dollar value is welcome. All gifts are tax deductible as charitable donations and there is no long-term commitment. 100% of donations are gifted to scholarship applicants, there are no administrative fees deducted, and the Airmen will match up to $1250 to help your gift go even further. Additionally, the Airmen Association keeps an investment account that is entirely restricted for use as scholarship funds. Several of our members have endowed scholarships through larger gifts placed into this fund that grow over time and allow us to give scholarships in the name of their loved ones year after year. Donate here, give us a call at 907-245-1251 or email info@alaskaiarmen.org to learn more about the options. This year’s scholarships are awarded in April, but we accept donations year-round and, as a 501(c)3, scholarship donations qualify as tax free “required minimum distributions” from retirement accounts so please keep us in mind when making your giving decisions.
And of course, this means scholarship applications are now open! The application window is January 1st through March 1st and we have a new and improved application. Are you thinking of adding a new rating or qualification? Is there someone in your life interested in starting a career in aviation? Check out www.alaskaairmen.org/scholarships to learn more and apply. We have many types of awards available for all types of aviation training from pilots to mechanics to air traffic controllers and more. Many types of training qualify including using a private aircraft and instructor and awards can be used for reimbursement of testing fees, tool purchases, certification courses and more. We also have new $500 Aviation Discovery awards available for folks that have yet to start their path towards aviation training. These are intended to help students get started and reach the first training milestone such as passing the written exam or getting a drone certificate. Winners of these awards would be well positioned to apply for further finding the following season. The Airmen Association encourages applicants to apply multiple times throughout their training as it is our goal to continue to support folks as their studies progress.
While scholarships may be a favorite thing, they are certainly not the only thing going on at the Association this time of year. Please make sure you read the Advocacy report from Adam White this issue. He’s managed to clear some significant hurdles in several of his long-term projects in 2021 and I think you will be interested to learn about them. And please take a moment, if you’re able, to congratulate him on his recent appointment to the Governor’s Aviation Advisory Board. He’s out there working hard to ensure General Aviation and Airmen Association members have a voice in state-wide legislative decision making. As always, he is available by phone at 907-245-1251 or adam.white@alaskaairmen.org to hear your thoughts and feedback about what’s going on out there in the skies.
And please make sure to check out a new feature we are trying called Member Milestones. We have recently started the process of forming two new committees and I will be reaching out soon to share more information and solicit member participation. One is focused on safety and the other on member engagement and community building and this new column is a result of the latter. It's one of the many ways we are working to improve our connection with the membership at large. It’s a place to share what’s been going on in your aviation life whether it’s a new rating or just a new experience. Please take a look and submit a milestone of yours or a friend’s for next quarter.
Thanks to you all for reading this issue of the Transponder and helping to create a strong and active membership! Wishing you blue skies for 2022!
Abby Austin
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