[NRV Rocketry] [NRVR-Launches] So many to thank for an amazing rocket launch on 9/27

[Bob Schoner]

What a fantastic day for a rocket launch in beautiful Blacksburg, VA.  The
weather was perfect.  Estimates of the number of people were between 150
and 250.  Everything went without a hitch thanks to the help of so many.
It's risky to start naming names but I would like to personally think so
many people, many whose names I don't know.

First I want to thank Jon Wooge and Dwight Paulette for allowing us to fly
from their farm property.  This is private, state property and just so
everyone knows you cannot just show up there, you need to have a valid
reason and get permission even as a VT student.

Next I want to thank our generous sponsors and contributors most notably
Rackspace and Dr. Kristy Collins from VBI/Kids tech university.  We
simply could not have done this and would not have reached some many kids
without your generous help.  Also Jordan Truesdell from Truesdell
Engineering has generously contributed to make this all possible.

We had a lot of help from the VT Ham radio group led by Ben Williams.  Ben,
please thank everyone who helped up out.  Communication, traffic and
parking were absolutely seamless and run to perfection.  VT Rocketry, AIAA
and SEDS student organizations also helped out a lot with keeping the kids
rockets ready and flying.

I want to thank our club members for their help and support.  You guys and
gals are the best.  Thank you club members for bring rockets to fly and
helping where ever and when ever you saw a need.  Jim Desposito, Cliff
Reynolds, Carlos Zappata, Jim and Kerri Farley, Kevin Shinpaugh, Kelly
Brennen and others were a big help in pulling this off.  I also want to
thank everyone who brought rockets to fly.  We had 89 total flights and
your attention to safety and keeping rockets flying made the event
memorable for so many kids.

Many people helped and I am sure that I have overlooked someone, and I
apologize profusely.  There are two people who were rock stars and I
especially want to thank them.  Lois Reynolds came out to her first launch
and ran the registration and raffle table like she had been doing it for
years.  I know she wanted to help out, but she worked continuously for
hours and did an amazing job.

Phil King came from quite a distance and didn't even fly a rocket.  Instead
he jumped in to help out with kids racking rockets and jumped in to help as
LCO for several hours.  The event would not have been as successful or
smooth without Lois and Phil, who both showed up, rolled up their sleeves
and went to work.

I want to also thank Tom Weeks for helping make this event happen.  He was
the one who made the initial contact with Homer Hickam several years ago
and kept working at it until he was able to make it happen.

I have to thank Homer Hickam and his wife for being such incredibly
graceful, genuine and caring people.  Homer was in Blacksburg for
Homecoming and planned to go the the tech football game after two hours at
Kentland.  Right after he arrived people started lining up and the line was
over 100 people at one point.  Instead of leaving at the time he was
supposed to Homer Hickam stayed until every person who wanted to meet him
was able to.  He made each person feel like the most important person in
the world when they were with him.  He was patient and never seemed hurried
or cut people short.  Instead of the 2 hours he planned to attend he stayed
at least 3 1/2 hours.  I have always been impressed with what he has
accomplished in his life, but now I am even more impressed with the man he
is.

Thank you all for everything you did and for coming out to this fantastic
event.

Bob Schoner
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