SLO 99s fly-out to Woodlake O42 on November 14, 2020
Chairman’s Message
By Jill Drexhage
Cookies to the tower is a-go! Thank you Dana for making those phone calls to ask. Start thinking about what goodie you want to make(or purchase). I will finalize the details for when and where we will meet to and will get that out to you all very soon.
Have you seen that we're making the move from Yahoo Groups over to Google Groups for our e-mails? Our Yahoo e-mail address will be discontinued on December 15th, so please check to make sure you have received the invitation to the new Google Groups before then. Thank you Kathy for all your research to find which e-mail platform would work best for us and for getting everyone set in the new Google Group.
We will be having our Christmas party on December 5th at 3:00 at Janice's hangar. This will be a potluck, so please bring something to share. If you're concerned about sharing food, please just bring a meal for yourself.[Update by the editor: this has been cancelled in the meantime due to COVID]
We decided instead of doing a gift exchange like we have in the past, we will each bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys 4 Tots. This will be instead of our regular evening December meeting. Please bring a mask and a chair so we can all spread out and stay safe.
Stay Safe,
Jill Drexhage
[Note by the editor: toy suggestions that were mentioned are Legos - very popular, Barbie Sets, Art Kits, Craft Kits, Skate Boards, Scooters, Gift Cards, Learning Toys - STEM, LOL, Hatchimals, Earphones, Footballs, Basketballs, Volleyballs. See the following Excel sheet for a list of the top 38 toys]
Note by the editor: Things are moving fast in these COVID times.
Please keep monitoring the 99s mailing list for updates on event dates, locations, and cancellations.
Also, in the articles below, some information on events had to be edited from the original due to the developing situation.
As usual in December, there is NO monthly General Meeting this month
Fly-out to Woodlake O42(11/14/2020)
Text and photos by Grace Crittenden
Another beautiful day to fly!
Four planes landed at Woodlake for a great lunch at the Runway Café. By good planning we all arrived at the same time, so for a few minutes it was busy in the pattern. There were lots of people at the restaurant when we got there so we had to wait a while to seat 11 people. It gave everyone a chance to visit and the food was worth waiting for. The fries were the best!
Minutes of the General Meeting(11/4/2020)
By Anele Brooks
Meeting at ACI Hangar and via Zoom.
Attending: Jill Drexhage, Tish Alan Jacobs, Sneha Lakshmi, Jolie Lucas, Susan Mercer, Grace Crittenden, Liz Ruth, Dana Davis, Janice Odell, Erin Ayers, Theresa Theiler, Maureen Curran, Elizabeth Dinan, Gabrielle Giuliano, and Anele Brooks.
Virtual event Flyer for Toys-for-Tots 2020
Jill Drexhage called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. and asked Jolie Lucas to provide an update for the annual Toys for Tots Celebration at Oceano Airport. Per Jolie the county is not willing to provide a permit for the event. The legal department emphasized no music, no hot chocolate, no people. The band has been cancelled. Jolie suggested a virtual celebration. She has a list of needy families from the Salvation Army. Elaine Mansour is the contact, she says the need is high this year. Perhaps donations can be accepted through Friends of Oceano Airport? Jolie will check with Elaine to verify when donated toys need to be turned in. A suggestion was made that we tie the toy collection to Cookies to the Tower and the Christmas Party. In the past Jolie has had a spot on KSBY and passed out and posted flyers. She will find out if we can place toy collection boxes at ACI, SunWest and Aerocademy. The boxes will need to be wrapped. Jolie will schedule a Zoom meeting prior to initiating the celebration to get the the Friends of Oceano Airport board involved as well. Jolie needs help with the planning part of the celebration. She informed us that people are using the campground and the bicycles. Liz, Susan and Dana volunteered to help.
The toys collected will stay in the 5 Cities area where there is a high level of need. During the past 12 years that it has been held it has become the largest drive in the area. Seasons of Hope, sponsored by KSBY, covers the entire county and collects food and toys. We cannot advertise this years toy drive as a flying event. During normal circumstances upwards of 30 planes and 100 people attend the event. Lunch is sold as a fundraiser, 8 – 10 bags of toys and several hundred dollars in cash are collected. The Salvation Army asked Jolie about adopting families. Jolie and Jill will work together to set up the details for the first Saturday in December. Whether the toys are wrapped or unwrapped will be announced later.
[Update by the editor: it is currently planned to collect toys via drop box at Oceano airport, ACI-PRB, and ACI-SBP. ACI will match donations dropped there. Shoot Jolie Lucas an email for credit card, check or cash donations. See flyer above. Also on December 5 in Jill’s hangar, while also packing Cookies to the Tower from 9 a.m., before the fly-out that day]
Next order of business was setting the date and location of the annual Christmas Party. Jill offered to check with ACI about using their hangar. Erin suggested we check with the Santa Maria Museum of Flight. Grace interjected that there is no documentation regarding the transmission of the virus via food. Janice Odell offered her hangar for the party and asked that anyone attending bring a chair. Grace reminded us all that no alcohol is permitted at the airport. The time and date have been set as 3:00 p.m. on December 5.
[Update by the editor: on November 28, Jill cancelled the live Christmas Party due to COVID. Instead, December 5 will be a combination of packing and sending cookie boxes to the tower, Toys-for-Tots collection, and a fly-out to Paso Robles, Santa Maria, or Oceano. Keep checking the mailing list for updates.]
Due to Covid-19 concerns a date was not established for Cookie to the Tower. Grace suggested someone call Dylan to find out if we should. She explained what“Cookies to the Tower” entails. It is a way for our group to express our appreciation to the controllers, firefighters, Spirit employees, ACI and the airport administration for the jobs they do to support us. At this time no one is allowed in the tower. A suggestion was made that we send cards or wrapped candy instead of cookies and treats. Grace gave Dana contact information for Dylan. Dana will update us when she knows what is allowed.
Chairman’s Message
We will be having our Christmas party on December 5th at 3:00 at Janice's hangar. This will be a potluck, so please bring something to share. If you're concerned about sharing food, please just bring a meal for yourself. [Update by the editor: this has been cancelled in the meantime due to COVID]Fly-out to Woodlake O42 (11/14/2020)
Minutes of the General Meeting (11/4/2020)