The Foundation for Amateur International Radio Service’s (FAIRS) board of directors worked to create a guiding philosophy for the year insuring the foundation continues to move in the desired direction. The guiding philosophy for 2011-2012 states: to focus on community and to invite other to be a part of the goodwill.
In the 2009-2010 year FAIRS worked to move their focus from internationally to in their home community in Floyd, Virginia. Now in the 2011-2012 year FAIRS works to continue following those ideals of focusing both locally and abroad. FAIRS works to promote cooperative communications among groups of leadership in Floyd County. The Floyd Amateur Radio Society (FARS) meets every second Saturday of the month with members and new licensees. FARS members all dues paying and remain committed to service internationally and in their community. FAIRS hosted 20th Anniversary On-Air Celebrations to commemorate all the hard work and dedication through the years. To enlighten the public on the ideas and principals behind amateur radio and the Foundation, FAIRS attends many local events including: Floyd Town Jubilee, Cub Scout Meetings, Amateur Radio Field Day 2011, Oak Grove Pavilion, Floyd Amateur Radio Society and Heart of the Holidays. Many acts of goodwill that FAIRS completes are not visible to the general public, therefore the Foundation participates in the Adopt-a-Highway program. The “I CAN! … MY DIRECTED THOUGHT FOR THE FUTURE” initiative began to provide paid summer internships for local students. 2010 marked the 5th Anniversary of the beginning of the program Autumn Townley, Amber Ingram and Rina van Blerk participated. Rina and Amber continued their internships into the summer of 2011 as well. FAIRS provided land for a community garden to be partnered with Plenty! to grow food for the community. The Floyd Community Garden harvested success for several years, and continues to provide 10’ x 10’ plots for approved community members to use. For more information about the Floyd Community Garden and Plenty! please visit www.plentylocal.org. All businesses work toward a set of specific goals, therefore FAIRS assists upcoming businesses in reaching those goals. The Floyd Professional Center functions as an incubator for small businesses and provides a next step towards a technology based future in Floyd County. FLOYD VIRGINIA, a full color magazine shares stories of the average man’s perspective. FAIRS works to insure the foundation is represented in the magazine with examples of goodwill they do within the community and abroad. David Larsen director of FAIRS and Jason Gallimore lead promoter of Chantilly Farm work to keep social media sites such as twitter, www.lcfvideo.com, www.n4usa.com, online and paper newsletters. The goal of FAIRS social media is to stay in touch with all of the FAIRS members and friends of our community.
In the event of an emergency it is important to have supplies ready to be used at a moment’s notice. Therefore the new amateur radio systems that are portable, packaged supplies and food items are contained in jump kits located in the FAIRS headquarters ECC and the Floyd Village Green in Suite 9. To prepare operators for an emergency, training times are set and many licensed operators attend. FAIRS and Tom King (W4VZH) the Floyd County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Officer operates in an emergency according to the memorandum of Agreement. The new emergency coordinator for Floyd County is Bobby Clark (KK4ESC) is responsible for coordinating all emergency activities. Clark communicates with volunteer rescue squads, fire departments, maintains a County Emergency Management Operations and Hazardous Materials Plan. Winlink 2000 is a paperless messaging system providing communications aid during an emergency at 145.070 mhz. The Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response Association (DEPRA) provides a memorandum of understanding that FAIRS operates according to in the event of an emergency. FAIRS values the need for education to the Floyd Community by providing educational materials at half cost in the Village Green. Resources every home should poses include disaster preparedness, disaster prevention and basic first aid manual. GPS units and family service radios are available for use by the general public with only a security deposit these tools are also available at the Village Green. Several years ago a radio tower was built on the station in downtown Floyd by FAIRS and community members. The station with the call sign N4USA. Please drop by the Village Green and operate alongside a licensed operator. This year a digital logging program has been installed in order to keep a log of contacts and goodwill from Floyd over the airwaves. Not only is N4USA set up for an attraction but for use in case of an emergency which provides yet another means of communication for our County. Simulated Emergency Testing (SET) was held at Station 1 rescue squad focusing on providing Election Day communications and services.
Before the 2009 push to further support the local community FAIRS mainly focused their efforts abroad especially in the Caribbean country of Dominica. The Dominican Amateur Radio Club International (DARCI) host meetings and community functions in their newly constructed headquarters. The DARCI headquarters include a classroom, restroom facilities, and additional communications capabilities. The headquarters also created a place to run communications from in the case of an emergency. FAIRS worked to supply funds and building materials for the headquarters during the construction process. DARCI club members work to train volunteers all over the island of Dominica in communications, emergency assistance, and community service. As a result of the hard work by the licensed club members the number of licensed operators on the island increased exponentially. Clement Pierre-Louis J73CPL a retired government official and Clem James J73CI work diligently to be liaisons between the Dominican Government and DARCI. Since Clement and Clem both have previous relationships with the Dominican Government allowing the DARCI to be fully understood by the government. FAIRS directors David and Gaynell Larsen, and members Tom Kings W4VZH, Seth Sjoestrom J79/SM0XBI, Tore Sandstrom J79/SM7CBS, George Morriss J79KUB and other members work as volunteers to repair communication systems. In addition to repairs the volunteers install equipment, administer trainings, provides motivational and monetary support. Repeater cards donated by FAIRS are needed to maintain connections made through amateur radio. FAIRS also provides assistance to Dominica by reinforcing or replacing existing equipment, providing additional power, and funds for maintenance services. FAIRS donated hand held radios and a central Hf station to benefit a small community in Dominica. The Disaster Management Committee (DMC) has received supplies from FAIRS in the past, but now just asks for training on equipment and communications from time to time. Hyacinth Thomas the chairperson of DMC works to keep FAIRS updated on their emergency plans. Their plans now include 10 safe homes or shelters in this hurricane prone area in the Atlantic. The Castle Bruce Amateur Radio Club now has facilities to hold club meetings in after their facilities were augmented several years ago.
Josanna Lockhart of Castle Bruce, Dominica holds a special interest in the residents of the Kalinago Territory. She is currently attending Caribbean Wesleyan in Dominica, oversees ministries, and serves as the director of Dominicans Against Drugs (DAD). Josanna’s dedication to her community and a life of service causes. Hyacinth Thomas is key to the creation of an additional clinic to the Castle Bruce region in which she is able to serve many needy families medically. A portable free clinic (pay as you are able) began by the work of mission workers in Dominica. Volunteers from across the country have stepped up to help collect medical supplies and medicines to be delivered and used in Dominica. FAIRS works diligently to obtain medical supplies and funding to support free health checks. Nurse Germain is one of the many people who work in the clinic providing the services. Pilgrim Community Preschool is a new preschool program located in a renovated church basement in Castle Bruce. FAIRS provided funds to the preschool to buy a playground that is now ready to be used by school and community children. The Rotary Club of Floyd and FAIRS are cooperating with FAIRS and the Dominican Rotary to meet self-reliance goals set by the Kalingo people. This initiative is on hold until the projects are ready to be implemented so FAIRS can decide how they wish to provide support. The Agriculture Training Project in Castle Bruce designed to educate workers is funded by FAIRS. The funds for a new community building in Wotton Waven were partially provided by FAIRS the building was dedicated on October 9, 2009. The building has a center for learning and six computers that are shared within the village the center is closely monitored. FAIRS continues to support the Wotten Waven Village Improvement Committee now known as the Wotten Waven Development Committee (WWDC). FAIRS continues their support for the creation of sulphur River Tour that could provide a unique attraction to the village. The tour holds to potential to become a part of a flagship trail project on Dominica benefitting the Wotten Waven Community. FAIRS volunteers have supplied “helps” offering school supplies, teaching materials, books, and more to school aged children benefitting their education. Many students who further their education choose not to return to Dominica after completing their education. With the goal in mind to keep educated individuals on the island FAIRS sponsors startup businesses to hopefully peak their interest. Hon Rayburn Blackmoore facilitates goodwill activities for poorer communities with some financial support provided by FAIRS. FAIRS also worked to ship additional radio equipment including handy talkies, two-way radios, antennas, connectors, coax antenna feed line, training materials and other items to Dominica.
FAIRS is prepared to send a repeater to be installed in Bangladesh, but this project is on hold due to political hindrances. The Grenada Amateur Radio club is able to conduct exams for amateur radio licenses creating an influx of licensed operators. FAIRS donated a significant amount of radio equipment, literature, a Hi-gain antenna, peripheral equipment and funds for outreach to the Grenada Amateur Radio Club. Gloria Walsh began the Love One, Teach One Foundation to help feed and tutor children of impoverish families. FAIRS provides much monetary support and help with necessary items including furniture and appliances. Gloria Walsh also created a sponsor a child programing which she invites individuals to sponsor a child. Operation Youth Quake is a shelter/home for abused and neglected youth with the idea being to provide the youth with a better life and opportunities. Lennox Abraham is the executive director there and provides education to others as to best work with those students. School supplies, clothes, shoes, sporting equipment and hygiene items were donated during the course of the past year. The school in Wotten Waven received painting supplies that includes primer, paint, brushes and rollers. Those items donated by FAIRS were used to give s=the school in Wotten Waven and updated look. Organic farmers in Dominica also organized a meeting regarding farmer producing organically. Their self-reliance goals include becoming self-reliant and increasing their exports. Portsmouth Community Watch Foundation Inc. utilizes amateur radio communication for security. If community members work together within the community watch foundation they will become more self-reliant and less dependent on their government.
FAIRS also continues support for many individuals and worthy projects related to ham radio and charitable outreach:
-Tina Alexander of Lifeline Ministries – helps with various projects on the island, and serves families with children who have AIDS.
-Joan L., other missionaries, and churches – provide outreach to the same and other people groups or communities.
-Operation Mobilization – mission teams serving individuals transforming communities.