RYAN WORK PARTY A SUCCESS

Nine dedicated RAF volunteers drove in for a weekend of work to keep Ryan Field a place we can all be proud of, including Chris Ogden and Margo Sety from Chewelah, WA. Chuck Jarecki assigned tasks, and the crew completed on Saturday what had been planned to take two days. 

Montana Liaison Ron Normandeau, assisted by Margo, removed the wings from the red Tri-Fokker that Ben Ryan had constructed. The aircraft has been donated to the Museum of Mountain Flying in Missoula, and Chuck is seeing to it that the artifact arrives there safely.

Larry Ashcraft, ably assisted by Brett Church, cut down and skidded numerous dead lodgepole pines threatening the powerline. They then cut a pickup load of it into firewood lengths and replenished the pilot shelter supply.

Chris, assisted by Chuck and Carmine Mowbray, cleaned up and hauled three pickup loads of winter debris to a slash pile.

Mike Hines brought his brush hog and tractor and spent the entire day mowing the rough areas near the pilot shelter, the Ryan Loop Trail and the vehicle camping area.

Carmine and Trish McKenna cleaned the pilot shelter and outhouse, then removed all the decorative but deteriorating fence rails.

Chuck and Chris put up a new “Ryan Field” signpost at the highway turnoff. Next time you see it, you can’t miss the model Cessna and American flag!

Tricia and Chris un-crated and assembled a donated mower, and Tricia mowed until called away for dinner.

Carmine grilled sandwiches for lunches and and everyone gathered in the shelter for a Sloppy Joe dinner, protected from the pouring rain. 

“Our timing was good,” Chuck said. “The hard rain held off until the start of the 5 pm happy hour.”

Submitted on June 12, 2018