Nancy (right) presenting a donation to Valley Humane Society.
Alan Friedman
Nancy Friedman, a Robson Ranch resident, has received the Carl Goldberg Vital People award from the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), recognizing her work on behalf of the Casa Grande Remote Control (RC) Flyers, an Arizona non-profit corporation.
The award honors members who go above and beyond to support model aviation, their clubs, and their members. They do this quietly, sometimes in the background, and often ask for little in return, other than maybe the occasional “thank you”. They might be club officers, newsletter editors, or even members who raise their hands at club meetings and volunteer to pull things together for the club picnic, fly-in, or other events. In Nancy’s case, she not only serves as the club’s secretary and treasurer but also organizes and runs programs at the area schools and 4-H clubs to promote the hobby of model aviation.
In 1983, Carl and Beth Goldberg asked the Academy of Model Aeronautics to help create an award to recognize these types of individuals. Named the Carl & Beth Goldberg Vital People Award, it was presented annually to “vital people in the background of the modeling movement whose efforts enhance the enjoyment of the hobby and whose accomplishments are seldom formally acknowledged.” Carl Goldberg (1912-1985) was an exceptional model aircraft designer, a model-club founder, an educator, and a business owner, among other things. He is a prominent figure in the history of the AMA and aeromodelling.
AMA is pleased to continue this tradition and want to thank our members who make model aviation at the local level more enjoyable for all of us. The Goldberg name is certainly a legacy we want to live on through AMA and the sport of model aviation.
In a letter to the AMA, Nancy’s husband, Alan, listed her many accomplishments. He stated, “The Casa Grande RC Flyers has received both the Award of Excellence and became a Gold Level Leader club as well as been named a Club of The Month. I feel it is mostly because of my wife, Nancy Friedman, that we received these honors. She has worked tirelessly on our club’s educational aviation programs to the area schools and 4-H clubs. She held many classes and participated in many school programs to encourage young people to become interested in model aviation. She has served as the club’s secretary and treasurer and even helps maintain the airfield while our seasonal members are away. She joined the club four years ago to fill our need for a secretary and treasurer, learned to fly, and encouraged many to enter the hobby. Her hard work and positive attitude have been an asset to the Casa Grande RC Flyers and helped the club grow and do wonderful things for our community.”
Besides her work with the Casa Grande RC Flyers, Nancy is also the co-educational director of the Fine Arts Guild within Robson Ranch which offers many wonderful and interesting programs for the club’s members.