March Message
[Photo: KI6BHY and his father Bill while scouting, circa 1980]
A few years ago my Father-in-Law, Bill Cushenberry, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He is in his 80s. Bill was a Ham radio operator back in the day and he also served in World War II on a submarine, barely escaping peril as I understand it. For those of you familiar with the effects of Alzheimer's -- and by that I mean the collateral emotional and financial devastation that so often blazes it's way through the extended family of the person diagnosed with this disease -- it is no picnic.
Now, my intention is not to have this posting be a downer -- in fact, I hope to be inspirational by the time I am done here. Rather, I want to share with you the relief I have found through my association with the ACS and its members.
Volunteer work provides us with wonderful community service opportunities and also with many opportunities for socialization within our group. Working in the ACS has been a labor of love and it has enabled me to meet many interesting and wonderful Members as well as Ham license candidates.
Radio can change your world and broaden your mind. The current climate of the LAFD provides us with opportunities to expand our knowledge base and technological skill level.
What Opportunities Are on the Horizon?
Peter Benjamins, Mike and I met a few weeks ago at Piper Tech to discuss utilization of that same facility for LAFD-based training in 2007. We have Mentoring coming up for both Ham candidates and for existing members to upgrade to General Class.
Ralph Ricketson (KG6WXY) is almost done with the GPS workshops slated to be held now at either Piper Tech or LAFD FS 88 off Sepulveda and Magnolia in Encino (dates and registration opportunities to follow at www.lafdacs.org). I for one just can't wait to go out and buy a compass and GPS unit! We will be learning alongside some sworn LAFD firefighters who have shown interest in the ACS and it's training opportunities. The classes will either be held in the upstairs cafeteria at Piper Tech (City's Radio Shops), or, in the Training Trailer at 88s (where we used to meet back in the day).
The GPS courses will be composed of a series of 2 hour modules, with each module being a prerequisite to the next (sorry, no exceptions). Registration will be mandatory to secure a seat and the course will be free. As usual, the ACS Club will accept donations, which will go toward offsetting the Instruction materials fees with surplus going into the ACS general fund, maintained by ACS Treasurer Kevin Ballantine (KD6FGO).
Recommended Online Courses 
We also have opportunities to take online courses with the ARRL and DHS, and hope to provide a reward-based incentive program to encourage members to complete these courses and improve their skill sets (links to be provided soon at http://www.lafdacs.org/).
I look forward to the months ahead, chock-full-of opportunities to teach, learn, socialize and to enjoy a good old Eyeball QSO!
Just One More Thing.. 
Back to Bill. He still has Alzheimer's and it is still blazing a trail of devastation through the Family and his mind. But, while facing the realities of this disease, I also very much cherish the lucid moments I can spend with him.
Recently Bill ambled into my place when I was in the middle of "Channel One At Three." I briefed him on what I was doing and watched his face light up with joy and he began to recount, in great detail I might add, the specifics on pretty much every CB and Ham antenna that he had owned and where it had lived (e.g. installed on his Jeep, or elsewhere).
His love of radio was indeed miraculously resurrected during those transient, yet joyful, moments of complete sanity.
I will always remember that.
With warmest regards,
Carolyne Keeler, KG6TWQ
Acting President, LAFD ACS
See new bio at http://www.qrz.com/KG6TWQ
