Decatur Pilot Club Meeting

What a great trip I had to the Decatur Pilot Club on Wednesday, February 7, 2006 for a dinner presentation! I was greeted by many, many friendly women and felt very welcome from the start. By the way, Pilot Club is an international volunteer service organization that focuses on service related to brain-related disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, chemical dependency, developmental, emotional, and mental disabilities.

I first met Teresa Howell, who is the president. Then I noticed a woman with a very familiar face… It was Melvye Cooper. Mrs. Cooper is a past district governor and a one-time member of Camp ASCCA’s Advisory Committee. She has a history of making good things happen for Alabama Pilots and Camp ASCCA. She asked me about camp and how our previous administrator, Jerry Bynum, was doing. I kept on meeting people, as I was setting up my audio/visual equipment, and AGAIN saw a familiar face. This time it was Kay Chandler, the current District Governor for Alabama District Pilot International! She has also been a great support of our campers with disabilities and has initiated a “Lighten up for Camp ASCCA” fundraiser for the District. At each monthly meeting, members pass around a bucket and “lighten up” their purses and pockets and throw in their spare cash and coins! We all can’t wait to hear about their results at their convention in April.

We had a very nice dinner and I sat with seven other extremely interesting women of all ages and backgrounds. It was here that I met Ven King, the woman who had invited me to speak and who is also the incoming president of the club. I’ve never been to Decatur, Ala., before and I learned much about the city and about the huge fundraisers the Pilots do each year. In one long weekend the 40 women and many other volunteers and participants successfully pulled off a bride and groom extravaganza and their annual Bean Dinner! It was so nice to hear about how the community benefits from their work.

When it was time for me speak about Camp ASCCA, I introduced myself, updated them on the “happenings” at camp (staff updates, facilities, camp groups, etc.) and showed the camp video. The video still touches everyone deeply – I love to watch the viewer’s faces as they watch it for the first time. The camp recreation and friendships portrayed in the video is amazing. I also thanked them for their participation in Pilots. The District and the clubs in the District have a long history of support with Camp ASCCA. The ‘Pilot Queen’ pontoon boat, two ski boats, aquatic equipment, tubes, skis, and many camperships have been given by Pilots over the years. Very soon, the District will complete a $25,000 commitment to support the ‘water display’ in the Oscar C. Dunn Rotary Environmental Center. The have also supported the entrance displays leading in to the Center.

Ven and I spoke after the meeting and she’s excited about the possibility of borrowing a van, roundin’ up a group of Pilots, and driving down to visit Camp ASCCA this summer. I can’t wait to show them around and introduce them to our fabulous campers and wonderful counselors and program staff.

I can’t express enough how much fun these women have, how big their giving hearts are, and most importantly, how much they mean to everyone at Easter Seals Camp ASCCA!

(Contributed by Dana Rickman)