August is almost over. Several things have happened. The scholarship committee: Joe Cummins, KD5GUV, Sara Cranford, N5ZMP, and myself interviewed three very deserving students. Joe asked, “Can we only give one scholarship?” Sara and I had the same sentiments. Finally, after much discussion, the $500.00 scholarship was awarded to Jesus Acosta. He plans to attend two years at Midland College and then attend A & M. I tried to persuade him to attend Texas U. at Austin, I=m a Tea Sipper. Sara, an Aggie, told him to stick with A & M. Jesus plans to be a public servant in some way after graduation. He is very determined to get a college degree. Thank you Joe and Sara, for a job well done.

Mike Smith kept bringing up the subject of work day. Did he say, “Work?” Yes, that is what it was, work, Saturday, Aug 21. Ken Williams, K5JOG, Joe Coldeway, KK5ZG, and Ted Harwood, W5WTX, worked at cleaning the storage rooms, watering trees and checking the generator. Trey Watkins, KD5GKE, and I ran errands, helped move things, and worked on lunch. Once the furniture was moved out, Mark Smith, N5UNH, Robert Boyd, KC5ZJO, Mike Smith, W5MLS, Dwayne Fox, W5ZOX, Steve Hopkins, K5RS, Pete Stull, WB7AMP, and Hunter Watkins, KD5HCQ, removed the old tile in the men’s bathroom, replaced broken tile in the main room, stripped the tile in the main room and then waxed it. Beverly Harwood, KC5BNT, Becky Hunter, Hunter’s wife, and Jo, my BETTER half, pitched in to set up lunch. Several of these workers also returned at 1:00 PM Sunday. There was a problem with the floor filler in the men’s bathroom, so the new tile could not be put down. But, a lot was accomplished. The main room was finished and looks good. The storage rooms are better, the trees greener and the generator ran. Thank you to all who participated in the, August 21, work day.

Steve invited me to a called Board Meeting last night, August 24. The main purpose of the meeting was to accept Beverly Harwood as Hamfest Chairman. Jarred Hilliard had to resign due to an impending move from this area. It was good to see Ted and Beverly get excited as they remembered the past Hamfests, and looked forward to Hamfest 2000. Have some fun at this Hamfest 2000. When asked to help, volunteer. If there’s a job you would like to do, call Beverly or Steve.

I resigned as President of the Midland Amateur Radio Club, August 9, 1999. I plan to be moved to Early, Texas by October 1. I will be gone a lot of this next month, moving pickup and trailer loads before the main move. We have a house on three acres (antennas, yes!) about four miles East of the Brownwood courthouse. Brownwood, Texas and Early, Texas are separated by a river. When you go East out of Bownwood on Hwy 377 you have to pay close attention to tell when you leave Brownwood and enter Early. My address will be: 1051 Green Oak Dr., Early, Texas, 76801. I will be listed as Ray Schulze in the phone book. Do come to see us and do not let me find out of your being in Brownwood without at least a phone call. Besides a paid for house, we have several relatives and friends that live there. We plan to travel and I need to do a lot of work on an old farm we own.

I plan to come several days early to Hamfest 2000. I want to help and be a part of it. After all I will still be a club member. Midland has been good to me and I have many friends here. So I won’t say, “goodbye,” I’ll just say “See you when we come to visit.”