History
History of the Quaker Farms R/C Flyers by: Bill Jensen 14 November 2006
It was in the spring of 1996 that Charley Lyons, semi retired and learning to fly RC, was looking for a local flying site to continue the process. An Oxford resident, he had been taking instruction at the club field in Thomaston, but this was much too far to travel for Charley. You see, Charley was a very busy retired person! He asked Jim Petzold of JP’s Hobbies if there were any near-by sites.
Jim pondered the problem and realized that there was no local site or club in the Oxford area. Charley, not to give up easily in his quest, had an idea. If there was no local club, then why not start one! He told Jim of a potential location on Schreiber’s Farm in Oxford. Charlie asked Jim and me to meet him at the farm to see if a particular pumpkin patch would be OK! It was large enough, but it needed a lot of work! We agreed to “go for it”.
Through Charlie’s persistence, he convinced Mr. Schreiber to allow an R/C club flying on the farm. An organizing meeting was held at my house with about seven founding members and the club was born. Jim was elected President, I was V.P., Charley turned down an official position at that time, but he would be a future president by popular pressure! Over the next year, the early members organized work parties to clean up the pumpkin patch, established operating by-laws, registered the club with the AMA, and obtained state incorporation. Jim Petzold was active with the Oxford Explorer Post and he and the club gave flying demos and instruction to the Explorers.
Through Jim’s efforts, club training planes and radios were donated to make this possible. Since it’s inception, the club has been a work in progress. The field has been constantly improving and maintenance has been excellent. Besides regular meetings, events have been held at the field including fun- fly’s and family picnics.
The membership averages about 70 members but has peaked at about 100. Sadly, in 2003, our beloved founder and benefactor, Charley Lyons passed, but only after learning to fly solo, his goal accomplished. Charley was our “sparkplug” and made things happen. One year, the field access road was in need of extensive repair and funds were not available to hire a contractor. Charley had connections in town with local contractors since he had been employed in the public works department for 30 years, many years it’s director.
Shortly, Charlie showed up with a huge backhoe machine and repaired the road no-charge. Space here does not permit listing Charley’s many contributions to the club. Some of Charley’s friends and flying buddies, especially Dick Mathews, Neil Cochran, and Chauncy Dance invested much time and effort over the years to further develop and maintain the field. Other notable benefactors over the years were Terry Hargitt, Diana and Tracy Fryer, Rick Katreya, and many, many others.
Today, the club is thriving, improving constantly, and is well known by R/C enthusiasts in the area. Charley and the many volunteers and benefactors who shared his vision and persistence, to have a good local R/C flying club, made this success story possible.