In an unexpected and extremely generous gesture, on April 15, 2023, the outgoing Athens Marathon Committee made a donation of $30,000 to the ACARA. This amount was chosen based, in part, on the ACARA’s two recent failed attempts to win an ARRL Foundation Club Grant for slightly less than $25,000 to make significant improvements to the Jim Crouse Memorial Radio Station at the Red Cross of Southeastern Ohio.
At the ACARA’s April 18, 2023 meeting, the members present voted to have a planning committee, consisting of members representing all interests within the club, formed to meet and formulate a plan for the use of the donation.
With the expectation that the planning committee will decide to fund the significant improvements to the Jim Crouse Memorial Radio Station, the members at the April 18 meeting authorized Treasurer Drew McDaniel, W8MHV, to purchase an ICOM IC-7610 HF transceiver and accessories for the Jim Crouse Memorial Radio Station.
Eric McFadden, WD8RIF
President, Athens County Amateur Radio Association