AMA Clubs donate $100,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project

Through National Model Aviation Day celebrations around the country and the efforts of local modelers at approximately 200 AMA chartered clubs, the Academy of Model Aeronautics raised $100,000 in support of the Wounded Warrior Project. A large check was presented to Warrior Speak representative Norbie Lara during the AMA Expo held in Ontario, California on January 10.
National Model Aviation Day was established to celebrate and promote model aviation. Nearly 200 AMA clubs from across the country hosted events and fundraisers and invited their communities to learn more about the growing hobby.

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“We could not be more proud of what our clubs have accomplished,” said AMA President and AMA Foundation Board member Bob Brown. “Club members from across the country made it their responsibility to make their events successful, and in the end, we not only raised awareness for the hobby but can provide a substantial donation to a worthy organization.”

A number of AMA members have served in the military and now help provide programs for other veterans and active duty personnel at their local flying fields. For the second year, the AMA Foundation selected the Wounded Warrior Project as the charity to support as part of its national celebration because of the Wounded Warrior Project’s programming that focuses on re-introducing veterans to activities that improve their quality of life. The programs that the organization offers empower veterans and increases public awareness of and enlists support for injured service members.

Several organizations have helped the AMA Foundation in its efforts to celebrate National Model Aviation Day. Thank you to 2014 National Model Aviation Day major sponsors Hobby King and Ready Made RC, and Fly RC Magazine, a featured sponsor. The AMA Foundation would also like to thank the FAA for its support of the event.

The Academy of Model Aeronautics has a long and successful history of advocating for model aviation pilots’ right to fly; encouraging science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)-based education related to model aviation principles; and encouraging competition that abides by the AMA’s safety guidelines. National Model Aviation Day celebrates these things and a hobby that has become a passion for more than 170,000 people across the country.

This year’s National Model Aviation Day will be celebrated August 15, 2015. For more information about National Model Aviation Day, visit nationalmodelaviationday.org, or contact Mandee Mikulski, director of development for the AMA Foundation, at (765) 287-1256, extension 277, or mandeem@modelaircraft.org.

7 comments

  1. The Wounded Warrior Project has very high administrative fees, leaving very little (48% ?)for the veterans they are supposed to help. I wished AMA had done there home work before making this donation. There are other organizations that return a much higher percentage of the donations to vets.

  2. I was a young man in 1966 when I received a letter that started; Greetings from Your President you are herby inducted into the U.S. armed forces, or something to that effect, I was 19. I didn’t know much about about Viet Nam other than a number of my friends had received that same letter and had gone off to something called basic training. Little did I know what lay ahead as my friends, those other 19 year olds who some never came home.
    Well here I am some 48 years later checking my e mail and I noticed something from the AMA, a blurb about the Wounded Warriors Project, so I clicked onto see where our donations have gone and watched the video featuring Norbie Lara.
    It made me feel somewhat proud that I also served during a time of uncertainity and confusion, because when I was drafted, I just went as was my duty as a young man, and when my time was over, there were no cheering crouds waiting for us when we came home,nor did I expect any I just was discharged and went back to work.
    Thank you Norbie you made my day.
    Bart D. Natoli

  3. so the money you gave to them, the vets will get only about half, the rest goes to advertising and to managers. They started good but then got greedy. There are better places to support our troops, please look into who you are giving money to and see the percentage goes to what you are tring to help.

  4. I wish that you didn’t donate to The Wounded Warrior Project.
    I am a AMA member# 861743 and a Totally and Permanently Disabled Nam Vet.
    It’s the VA responsibility to care for the Wounded Veteran. You are reducing the Veteran to beggar status. Everyones efforts would better the Vet by contacting your elected officials and make the VA do their job. I could go on more but won’t at this time.
    A Disable Nam War Hero, VA File #27055163
    STEVEN G. MORAVEK

    1. To answer your concerns about the Wounded Warrior Project, I’d ask that you visit https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12842. Charity Navigator is one of the better known sites that provides information and ranks US charities. The numbers, and especially the graphs and charts are pretty self-explanatory. In relation to percentages WWP’s administrative expense is in line with most other charities of its type.

      WWP does invest heavily in fundraising activities, however, with proven results. The percentage of their revenue that goes toward administrative expense, 5.6%, is relatively low. In 2012, the most current reporting year, WWP invested 57.9% of the revenue they generated back into programs and services that directly impact our wounded veterans. There’s also some revenue retained for future programs. When you look at the ranking of WWP compared to other charities, it is line with Disabled American Veterans, USO, and others. Administration costs for charities are typically 10-20%, so some of the reports about WWP are not accurate.

      Please visit our online page to learn more about why we have chosen to support the WWP: https://nationalmodelaviationday.org/who-we-are/wounded-warrior-project/

      I hope this has addressed some of your concerns.

  5. As a Viet Nam combat veteran, whole heartedly support this nations awareness of the huge sacrifices the returning vets have made. However, it is my understanding that while well meaning and certainly well recognized, Wounded Warriors Project consumes nearly half of donations for organizational costs. There are lesser known similar agencies where 100% goes to the “VETS”. Perhaps in the future, support should be directed to these agencies. Respectfully submitted.

    1. To answer your concerns about the Wounded Warrior Project, I’d ask that you visit https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12842. Charity Navigator is one of the better known sites that provides information and ranks US charities. The numbers, and especially the graphs and charts are pretty self-explanatory. In relation to percentages WWP’s administrative expense is in line with most other charities of its type.

      WWP does invest heavily in fundraising activities, however, with proven results. The percentage of their revenue that goes toward administrative expense, 5.6%, is relatively low. In 2012, the most current reporting year, WWP invested 57.9% of the revenue they generated back into programs and services that directly impact our wounded veterans. There’s also some revenue retained for future programs. When you look at the ranking of WWP compared to other charities, it is line with Disabled American Veterans, USO, and others. Administration costs for charities are typically 10-20%, so some of the reports about WWP are not accurate.

      Please visit our online page to learn more about why we have chosen to support the WWP: https://nationalmodelaviationday.org/who-we-are/wounded-warrior-project/

      I hope this has addressed some of your concerns.

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