Rhinebeck Museum trouble

[mattyb]

so glad to see so much concern for what has many memories for all of us to Tom at midhdson r/c i havent missed a jamboree in many years and hope for another great weekend this year. I was wondering if you had a distributer list from last years jamboree so we could make sure they can help us in trying to get to the bottom of things the more people that help the better.Long live Coles dream. Thanks Mattyb

Though, I have lived relatively close to the ORA for my whole life, I hadn't gone there until a High School class trip brought me. That was it, I was hooked. This year would have been my 10th year of a combination of volunteering and working at the ORA. I was lucky enough to know Cole for the last season of his life. What a great guy. The new museum building had just been finished and Cole decided that he wanted to see the Aeromarine Klem with its wings on. However, he and I were the only two dromers around so he just started asking visitors if they wanted to help out. With much enthusiasm the Klem had it's wings again, and a whole bunch of visitors got a great experience and a great story to tell. The fact that he did that amazed me, at the time, but later it only gave validation to every Cole story that was told. The Aerodrome has become a special place for me. It has inspired me to get my pilot's license, and to buy my own plane. I have made so many great friends there that have become my family. I have also met my wife there, and for that I am forever thankful. The overwhelming amount of things you are reading here are true. And if that isn't bad enough, there is a whole lot more that has happened, that hasn't been written here that is even worse. I am certain that if something isn't done now, to change what is happening, future generations will never get to experience what I have had the privilege to experience.
GOD SAVE THE ORA!

As a journalist, I have spent the last four days digging for the truth about what is happening at the ORA, talking to many people who care deeply. But I still need more information. If you have facts that will help unravel this story, please contact me by email and we can speak privately.

[Dave_Watts]

Hi all,

As treasurer and a member of the board of directors of the GWAA, (Great War Aeroplanes Association, we're the guys that do the WW1 air show at the USAFM in Dayton, Ohio, hey over 50,000 attendance this year), I am well aware as a Not for Profit organization you have to post annual reports of income and expenditures and have elections. These annual reports have to be made public and either printed in a newsletter, posted on the Internet, or available upon request by post.

Can someone who is a member of ORA give us Aerodrome forumites a general idea of the dollars that are coming in and going out? Generally the dollars are what can corrupt.

If there are no dollars you will find the true volunters!

Best to all, and my hat is off to those who help with our organization as we are always scratching for pennies simply to print the newsletter and pay the postage. No one in our organization gets a dime, no reinbursed expenses for travel etc., no salaries, no payment for work rendered. We are truly a not for profit organization who love the hobby and educating the public about these aircraft and what those who flew them did for our country.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Dave W.

[Whosaidrats]

Tom Smith,
Isn't it true that this was the first year in some time that Rhinebeck didn't display an aircraft at the big WRAMS model show in Westchester? I guess that was something else that Tom Polopink would've taken care of. Yet they decided to send three airplanes all the way to Australia for a show, which surely was fun for the pilots, and got a little press in the aviation mags, but how many people came throught the gate this year from down-under? And they could've sent an airplane 60 miles down the road and gotten exposure to thousands of people from the local area for much less expense and hassle. More good stewardship of assets.....

Write those letters!

That is true. I and several others, spent many weekends cleaning up the Deperdussin, so that it could be displayed at the WRAM show. And the man that got us to do it was none other that Mr. Tom Polapink. Let me tell you, his job was part time, but he put at least 40 hrs. a week in. There were times that I wouild drive by the office at midnight and he would be there answering e-mails from the public. He also raised $75K to put heat in one of the museum buildings, and raised over $100K for the Spirit of St.Louis project. How much has the board raised to date? $0. They'll tell you they're not a fund raising board (doesn't that make their job easy!) One board member turned down a donation of $25K because it wasn't enough. The foundation that was going to donate the money doesn't give donations larger than $25K. Now that Tom has been canned, there is no fund raising committee. So who's raising money for the ORA now? No one!
This Board couldn't manage a Lemmonaid stand!

[mattyb]

im lucky to give $100 a year and there turning down $25k the more i here the more it sounds like i might not being bringing my friends and family there much longer at the rate there going long live ORA out with the new board members in with old how will the spirit of St. Louis ever be completed with out Ken Cassens?

Well there is a very big concern. The Spirit of St. Louis project has become probably the most important project to the Aerodrome for at least as long as I've been there and perhaps for as long as it's been in existence. I say this because it has become a symbol of Cole's dream and the fight to keep with that dream. Cole was a huge Lindbergh fan and wanted to build an NYP in the worst way. He started one and never finished it. The work that Ken and Scott have done is magnificent! It is an outrage that he was fired and will not get to finish and fly it. There have been rumors that the board wants to loan the spirit to another museum in it's present condition, or possibly even sell it. Normally I would not spread rumors, and for all I know they very well may finish and fly the thing, however I feel it necessary for members to have an idea of what may happen to it. Because the Aerodrome solicited donations to fabricate a replica NYP that would fly at the ORA, I would think that if it were sold, people who donated money to the project would have legal grounds if their money wasn't returned to them. Though I'm not a Lawyer.
And I know for certain that several board members did not like the project one bit. They kept complaining that it would not directly bring in a lot of money. They wanted to just focus on rides planes because they generated direct income. I will not go into the flaws in their logic, but I will say that I heard one board member say flat out that he hoped the fundraising efforts for the spirit would fail. One member even questioned why we are building an NYP when it is a World War II era aircraft!!!!
These are the people who have full control of the Aerodrome now!
If anyone knows a good lawyer that would be interested in helping out, please direct them to this forum.

[SteveS]

Originally posted by DavisD1W@Nov 26 2003, 09:44 PM
[b] They kept complaining that it would not directly bring in a lot of money. They wanted to just focus on rides planes because they generated direct income.

Was it the boards idea to give helo rides last summer?
Speaking for only myself, I thought it a bit out of character for the Aerodrome. Just a extremely noisy eggbeater. You had to stop your conversation every 20 minutes as it took off and landed. We found it to be very annoying.

Again, just our opinion.

Salute, and to quote Whosaidrats

"Write those letters!"


Steve

I stopped by the Aerodrome on Avaition Artist weekend, this season to check out the art. There flying rides was this Bell 47 helicopter which was very out of the time period and very annoying. I've heard that the pilot is a friend of Tom Daly's (The new airshow director) as Tom flies helicopters for the Nasau county police department. What was more out of character was the NASCAR that was racing the Petinpol down the runway. Neither, in my opinion belong there.
Maybe next year they'll give rides in a genuine 1975 Cessna 172! Wouldn't that be spectacular!