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2008 Atlantic Division Award Winners Announced

05/16/08 -- The Atlantic Division Awards Committee is pleased to announce that following awards have been named.

AMATEUR OF THE YEAR

The Atlantic Division Amateur of the Year is awarded to Dave Prestel W8AJR.

Dave has contributed enormous amounts of his personal time towards amateur radio.  He has been active with the Maryland-DC Section serving as the State Government Liaison.  He also has been active with the ARES®/RACES program and was able to arrange a meeting with the Director of the Department of Homeland Security for the state of Maryland to explain the advantages of ARES® being integrated into the Maryland's state emergency planning.  An outcome of this meeting was providing credibility with the state Citizens Corps and setting up two-day Technician licensing courses for CERT volunteers.

Dave also is serving the Atlantic Division as its Division Legislative Action Chair, a position which involves rallying ARRL members within the Atlantic Division to contact their federal government law makers regarding key issues that could have impacts on amateur radio on the federal level.  Dave has been involved in raising the bar for emergency communication within the Howard County ARES®/RACES team.

Through the Columbia Amateur Radio Association (CARA), Dave has been instrumental in a series of entry level licensing courses.  Many of the successful class members have become active with the club and within the ARES®/RACES program.

Dave is currently serving as President of T-MARC, the local repeater coordinating council, which has gone through a revitalization in which Dave was an instrumental party.

Grand Old Ham

This award is not given out each year, but rather is given to an exceptional amateur radio operator within the Atlantic Division who greatly exemplifies the spirit of amateur radio consistently over a number of years. 

The Awards Committee is pleased to announce that this award has been issued to Keith Freeberg N2BEL.  Keith was very involved with the education and Radio Coaches program within the Rochester area.  The Radio Coaches program with Keith's leadership has brought ham radio and electronics to many school children in the inner city schools of Rochester.  Keith enjoyed seeing the smiles on the students' faces when they built their first electronic kit and saw it working.

Some people enjoy talking to other people around the world or in their own home town using various forms of radio communications. Keith enjoyed talking to other people about how ham radio can assist their organization to have a more productive and safe public service event.  With Keith's involvement, the Rochester Amateur Radio Association has taken public service event communications/participation to a new level.

Keith's award was presented to him on Sunday, April 13th.  The following day, Keith became a silent key, passing away after a lengthy illness.

(picture courtesy of Dick Goslee KG2I)

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