Raffle:

1st   Bob Nagle         Hanger 9 Tribute 36 ARF
2nd  Dale Anderson  Gift Certificate - Hobbytown

                                                             Steve Ulrich

     Hi Al, It would be my pleasure to write something as I think that I knew John better than anyone else in the club.  As a lot of the old timers will remember, I had the Appliance store for many years in the area beginning back in 1963 on Coon Rapids Blvd.  From there I moved it to Oak Park Plaza in Blaine until 1980 when I built my own store on Northdale Blvd., between Foley and University extension, where I also included a model aircraft department with a few kits, coverings, glue, wheels and most common hardware used in the hobby.  I had been flying for many years and wanted to promote the hobby but didn't know how to get started.  Just after setting up the new store, a young chap by the name of Dan Beckstrom drove up in a Bell Telephone supervisors car and proceeded to ask where the local people go to fly model aircraft.  Dan and his family moved up to become a permanent resident.  Just before transferring up from the Rochester area, he became interested in model flying and wanted to pursue the hobby and learn the art of building and flying in this new land!  I told him that he was welcome and that he could help me set it up.  First we placed an ad in the local paper and set up a meeting place at one of our homes.  I offered the store for convenience.  The response was overwhelming and thus Anoka County Radio Club was born.  The tasks were many but the interest was so strong and the membership grew so rapidly that we set out to find a permanent flying field.  We tried many options before a kind donor came by and offered his sod field and that became our permanent home where it exists today.  That intro was necessary to set the stage for John Shenton who we are honoring today.