December 2003 Holiday Party (12/13/2003)
On Friday evening, December 12, about 19 MASA-ites
gathered at the Cochran residence in Minneapolis for the annual club
holiday party. While rocket talk filled the air and many
delicious snacks disappeared from plates, the Discovery Channel's
"Rocket Challenge" played on the television.
The annual gift exchange started out pretty slowly,
but grew quite lively by the end. Ted's Tethys was decorated
as the "rocket-tree" this year. Going in order of
drawn numbers, each person could unwrap a gift or steal someone
else's gift. Lots of things got swapped around - some of the
popular items were a Quest Nike Smoke kit, a tool box, a G64 reload,
a custom launch controller, and an Estes Ram Jet kit.
Later in the evening, MASA President Glen Overby
presented the annual MASSY awards..
First, Glen thanked all the RSO & LCO range duty
volunteers for the year. Putting all their names in a
"hat", two were drawn out to receive "thank you"
prizes. Unlike the door prizes, these people didn't need to be
present to win. The winners of the RSO/LCO "thank
you" drawing were: Rick Vatsaas and Alan Estenson.
2003 MASSY Awards
In grand MASA tradition, President Glen Overby
created this year's awards (possibly in an altered state of mind due
to inhalation of AP fumes.) Recipients were given a lovely
paper certificate suitable for framing (or wiping glue off their
fingers).
-
Distinguished Service Award for finding the
new Buffalo launch site - presented to Rick Vatsaas.
-
Distinguished Service Award for efforts to
find a new launch site - presented to Larry Schwartz.
-
Special recognition for hard-working TARC
mentors - Ted Cochran and Art Gibbens
-
Technical Achievement Award - presented to
Larry Schwartz for his 2-stage AMRAAM flight.
2003 MASA Prang Awards
Prang Award of the 3rd Order: David
Whitaker's superroc "Mine's Bigger" on a D12-7
Rocket sways in breeze.
Zooms around and out of sight
Gravel road kill now. - Ted Cochran
Translation: This 12 foot (at least) bit of
super-bendy-silliness did a big loop before crashing into the
parking lot.
Prang Award of the 2nd Order: Ken
Corey-Edstrom's "lil' Johnny Rocket" on a F21 (1st
"flight")
Bif looked good, alas,
like Mark Thell's, in distant past
just the motor flew. - Ted Cochran
L'il Johnny rocket
Can it fly do you suppose?
I can't prove it yet
Engine taped too loose
Run away! Run away fast!
Scary curlycue
Stay Back 30 feet
the motor flew between us
safety codes are good - Ken Corey-Edstrom & Don Wiebold
(and limericks too?)
There once was a Biffy that flew
Twas all cardboard and plastic and glue
The motor got lit
And proceeded to split
Left behind on the pad was the loo. - Ted Cochran
Translation: This "flying" mini porta-potty
might have stuck on the rail. In any case, the motor shot
clean through the "rocket", flipping and spinning its way
past the flight line as everyone dove out of the way.
Ken Corey-Edstrom's "lil' Johnny Rocket" on a F21
(2nd "flight")
Again 'twas readied
Launch! Loops! Horizontal Flight!
Reconstruction looms. - Ted Cochran
L'ill Johnny rocket
go back to the drawing board
More nose weight I think
busted plastic bits
green toilet smokes on the ground
Not worth forty bucks - Ken Corey-Edstrom & Don Wiebold
Translation: It got off the pad this time, but was
unstable and pranged under thrust.
And the grand champeen...
Prang Award of the 1st Order: Mark Thell -
Lifetime Achievement Award. This year's contribution, the
flight of his Nike Ajax. Mark was presented with the new MASA
Prang Award traveling "trophy" (a copy of the William
Shatner Estes video).
Drawings were held for free door prizes. The
winners were:
-
(The following prizes were donated by Hub
Hobby Center of Little Canada.)
-
Austin Whitaker - Quest Falcon kit
-
Russ Durkee - The Launch Pad Phoenix kit
-
David Gensler - ASP Sonda IIB kit
-
Ed Eastman - FlisKits Flea kit
-
Stuart Lenz - BMS School Rocket kit
A BIG thanks to Hub Hobby Center for donating
prizes! A HUGE thanks to Ted Cochran and family for hosting
the party again this year! An enormous thanks to everyone who
attended!
(Alan Estenson)
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