I hope everyone has been staying safe during this summer and has been able to get out to the field to fly as often as they can! I say it time and time again but flying therapy is the best therapy. :-)
It is with regret that I announce I have resigned as the President of MAR/C effective September 9th, 2020. I have thoroughly enjoyed flying at Marymoor over the last twelve years – starting as a youth member in middle school and growing as a person and pilot through the mentorship and help of our awesome members. It feels incredibly rewarding to pay all the kindness and mentorship so freely given to me by our members forward.
My fiancé and I are moving out to Western New York to start our lives together as I wait for a start date as a pilot with an East Coast based airline. I will also play in my band which is based there. It will be difficult to leave the northwest and Marymoor behind. There truly are only a few clubs that have the people that MAR/C has (not to mention the amenities and views)!
One thing that I know is for certain is that the club is being left in excellent hands. The board is an amazing group, and more than capable of leading us during these unprecedented times. With my stepping down, Brian Kelly (BK1) will take over as President, Mike McGee (our former secretary) is taking over as our new Vice President, and Mark Weber has volunteered to fill in for the remainder of my term as our new Secretary. Thank you to everyone for stepping in – and I urge anyone else who loves our field and wants to pay it forward to reach out to our board if you are interested in volunteering.
As a final update on our board – before I left, I worked with the board to create a new board member position: MAR/C Youth Member Advocate. Their role is to be the voice of the 18 year old and under members of our club, to be the lead youth instructor for our training program, and to come up with more ways to bring in young pilots and keep our hobby strong. Ian Morrow – 17 – was selected by the board as our new youth representative. He started flying at Marymoor at 6 years old and I personally soloed him when he was 7. He is a great stick, an easy going and fun person, and an excellent fit for leading our youth. We currently have Ian working on creating a mentorship program for new young pilots that join our club so they will feel welcomed into our amazing club and hobby. Without our youth, our hobby simply will not survive. I am extremely happy to be leaving Marymoor with this new position as a part of our club.
Thank you again to all of MAR/C for making me into the person I am today and continuing to pursue youth outreach passionately.
Happy Landings,
Zach Sweetser