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Lieutenant Colonel Phil Grathwol—the
commanding officer MAG-42—and
Lieutenant Colonel Jack Merkel—the
aviation safety officer HMM-774,
MAG-42—carry a box of toys to the
helicopter.
The morning of
November 17, 2007, members of the Hampton
Roads Radio Control Club (HRRC) in Suffolk,
Virginia, were setting up for the club's
first Toys for Tots fly-in. The calm was
broken by the methodic beating of a CH-46
Sea Knight helicopter's twin rotors as it
approached the flying field.
To the club's
delight, the "Frog," emblazoned with the
tactical markings of the US Marine Corps'
HMM-774 Squadron from Marine Aircraft Group
(MAG)-42, Detachment B, in Norfolk,
Virginia, settled softly on the ground near
the runway. This signaled the beginning of
festivities marking the HRRC's endeavor to
help disadvantaged children in the Hampton
Roads area have a merry Christmas.
Event
activities included unlimited flying with
the donation of a new, unwrapped toy; food
served throughout the day; buddy-box flying
for aspiring pilots; an HRRC air-show team
demonstration for spectators; and a raffle.
The day was a huge success; food and raffle
donations totaled almost $1,400, and 134
toys were collected.
"In the short time I
have been here, HRRC collected more toys
than when I stood outside a local toy store
for the day," said Lance Corporal Josh
Baughman.
Marines in "dress blue" uniforms
stood guard to ensure that each toy would
greet a child on Christmas morning. By the
end of the day, two large boxes were
overflowing with gifts.
Food was abundant
during the event, and attendees dug deep to
fill the donation jar as they filed through
the line. Club members had prepared homemade
favorites and others manned the grill to
cook what appeared to be hundreds of pounds
of hamburgers, hot dogs, and sausages.
Instructors were available with a trainer
airplane to give guests who wanted to try RC
flying a taste of the wild, blue yonder.
Young and old enjoyed the opportunity, and
even the Marines helicopter crew gave it a
shot. Each was given a chance to pilot the
model, sometimes with interesting results.
"He [the instructor] only had to take it
away from me twice," said Lieutenant Colonel
Phil Grathwol, MAG-42 commanding officer and
CH-46 pilot. "I think I did pretty well!"
Local and national hobby shops generously
donated items for a raffle that provided
more than $900 of the donations. In the
spirit of giving, many winners auctioned off
their prizes to further increase the
contribution.
At the end of the day, 45
pilots registered to fly and more than 200
spectators joined the HRRC in supporting the
Marines program. Next year the club will
host its second annual Toys for Tots fly-in.
"I think we will make this a regular thing,"
said Lieutenant Colonel Grathwol. "It's a
pleasure for us to be here, and it's a
pleasure to have these guys come out and
serve the Toys for Tots program, which is
what it is all about."
The HRRC prides
itself on the outstanding support of its
members and their families. To some, it is
much more than a club. HRRC life member
Frank Blanchard said:
"When I saw the
Marines load the boxes of toys on the CH-46
and take off, I closed my eyes and said
'Thank you, God, for making sure at least
some children won't be disappointed on
Christmas morning.' Today changed the way I
look at kids and Christmas.
"Just as
important is how much more pride I have in
Hampton Roads RC. When a person decides to
join us, they don't just join a club—they
become a member of a family." MA
As the CH-46 loaded with toys left for
the day, the crew made a final pass
for the crowd to say thank you for its
support.
Keith
Desbois
HRRC Member
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