WPBARG In The News Again

[Michael M]

We are in the news again. This time in the ARRL Club News.

http://www.arrl.org/club-news?issue=2023-05-23#toc02

ARRL Club News
March 23, 2023

Clubs Working Together

The West Palm Beach Amateur Radio Group (WPBARG) and the Fair Lawn (NJ) Amateur Radio Club (FLARC) have agreed to a unique partnership in sharing ideas, activities, and best practices to better encourage the growth and development of each other’s amateur radio club. “This relationship, while informal, has the potential to address a number of issues and ideas that we as a club could not do alone,” noted Nomar Vizcarrondo, NP4H, FLARC Past President. “There are local issues that we face that are no different than all amateur radio clubs – promoting amateur radio in our communities, [and] finding and retaining new members while keeping them engaged. We hope that this experiment will enable us to learn from each and help to address these issues so that we can both benefit as a result. WPBARG also operates from a location (a science center) that brings exposure to amateur radio that we can learn more about,” Vizcarrondo added. Michael ., K1WX, speaking on behalf of the WPBARG Board of Directors, said, “As amateur radio operators, each of us has a responsibility to the hobby and our community, and to be good ambassadors of both. We see this venture as a wonderful way to leverage that and to grow this unique fellowship of amateur radio. As this is uncharted territory for our organization, we welcome input on how to reach these goals. Whatever fruit this may or may not bear, we are grateful for the opportunity.”

WPBARG (www.wpbarg.com) currently has approximately 80 members and meets regularly at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium in West Palm Beach. FLARC (www.fairlawnarc.org) has approximately 175 members and has a clubhouse as part of its association with the Borough of Fair Lawn. Both clubs are visible within their communities, and each brings its own set of diverse assets to the experiment. WPBARG recently shared a program on radio balloons built by local students, with the assistance of WPBARG club members and the FLARC. The first planned steps are to increase overall contact with each other on a regular basis via meetings, exchanges of communication, and the development of a potential joint program or project. The informal agreement will last for 1 year. Local clubs, of course, get together to do projects, but this is believed to be the first planned experiment in mutual development between clubs separated geographically.

By Ed Efchak, WX2R, and Michael ., K1WX