...or News from the Nameless One
Well folks, even with BuffCon behind us, we still have a couple of important tasks that need attending, one of which is our annual elections. Collectively, I and the rest of the e-board kind of dropped the ball in terms of nominations. As a club, we decided to suspend the April elections until this month thereby giving everyone enough time to review the nominees and "throw their hat in" prior to the actual election.
There is still plenty of time to nominate a member (or yourself) for any office. Dick Schulenberg will have the most current ballot available later in this newsletter and the election itself will be held at this upcoming meeting on May 16th. If you wish to nominate someone, run yourself, or have any questions, please feel free to contact myself or Dick. Again, I urge everyone to seriously consider running. It is a most rewarding prospect and I guarantee that you won't regret it.
Another serious matter that needs attention: this year's "Tim Horton's Challenge." As I'm sure you are all aware of by now, this event has become quite popular, and therefore expensive for those who do not complete the challenge. To put the math into perspective, last year had 25 entrants with one "incomplete." At $5 in Tim Hortons per completion, it came to a solid $120. That's a little scary and may keep folks from participating. Therefore, this year we decided to change things up a bit.
Introducing: The IPMS Niagara Frontier Tim's Horton's Team Challenge and Modeling Extravaganza (or IPMSNFTHTCAME for short)
This year, our entrants will have their names drawn from a hat to join either my team or First VP Bob Collignon's team. Both teams will have an equal number of builders with each builder having only one model. Each model will be presented (unstarted) at the May meeting and must be completed by the start of the August meeting. Each completed model earns a team one point. The team with the most points (individually completed models) "wins" the challenge and one Timmy's card from the other team. Each builder on the "losing" team provides only one $5 gift card to the "winning" team. The most that anyone will be out is one $5 gift card.
This way, the monetary obligations are far less... urgent. However, not completing your model hurts your team, which introduces an entirely new dynamic: modeling peer pressure.
With that said: everyone who wishes to participate in the IPMSNFTHTCAME, please have your unstarted kit at this month's meeting. This year ought to be a lot of fun!
Well, that's all that I can think of for now. I hope to see you all at our next meeting which will be held at our usual location: the Harlem Road Community Center on May 16th at 7PM.
Until then,
Justen Hanna
President
IPMS Niagara Frontier
IPMS USA #45680
Notes from the April 2011 Meeting
I'm filling in for Bob Raithel this month so here goes.
Pretty light model turnout this month, what with a crucial Sabers playoff game and our
post-BuffCon pizza and wing party. Still, some neat things were out on the tables for us to
check out.
Joe Saccomanno showed us his latest 1/87 (HO Scale) Aurora AFX custom projects, a
couple of 1955 Chevy replicas. Joe added hood scoops and custom wheels and came up with
custom paint jobs with flames painted using special masks cut using a Cricut electronic
stencil cutting machine. Cool stuff, and he can race it all, too.
Bob Raithel is playing with Sculpey modeling clay again. This time he sculpted a
large scale goblin bust and used guitar string balls for goblin earrings. It's wrinkly
and gray (oil paints), but definitely not dead.
Frank Blonski brought in an old on-going project, a customized '83 Trans Am that's
almost finished. Looking good, Frank.
Frank also showed us some of his new molds and resin castings. He's been doing a
lot of experimenting and development to reduce mold stress and ensure complete filling
with good success. Next is adding dyes to the resin to pre-color the castings.
Brian McFee showed his 1/35 Trumpeter SAM-2 surface to air missile in Soviet colors.
Interesting model. Brian also brought in a collection of pre-WWII Players cigarette
cards featuring British aircraft of the period.
Visitor Al Germann brought in some of his models in progress, all from salvaged
bags of kit parts or previously built models. First was a surfer car that is basically
a '33 Willys with lots of custom and repositioned stuff. Next was a concept car in the
Stealth or Corvette pattern, all from various unrelated parts. Finally, Al showed an
Eclipse based car, also from unrelated parts. None are yet finished, but they're
getting there.
Steve Weller brought in the new, highly detailed 1/72 B-17G kit. He's lusted after
a Flying Fortress with lots of interior detail in a reasonable size, and he's pretty
sure this is it.
Jim Wolf also brought in a new kit, the 1/32 Dragon Bf-109E-4. It's pretty
impressive. Jim also mentioned that he picked up the Lindberg reissue of the old Hawk
Graf Zeppelin, now injection molded instead of the original vacuform, at Ollie's for
$40. Pretty good price and Jim said they had quite a few other Lindberg reissues.
Finally, some photos of members around the room, the model tables and
the pizza party.
CLUB ELECTIONS AT THE MAY MEETING
The 2011 - 2012 Ballot as it stands now is:
Note: (I) - Incumbent, (A) - Appointed in previous term to fill vacancy
| President | Justen Hanna (I) |
| 1st Vice President | Bob Collignon (I) |
| 2nd Vice President | Larry Osolkowski (I) |
| Secretary | Dick Schulenberg (I) |
| Treasurer | Dave Schwab (I) |
| E-board Members (vote for 6) | |
| Paul Hines (I) | Bob Raithel (I) |
| Joe Szczygiel (A) | Frank Blonski (A) |
| Tom Faith (I) | John Zaranek |
