EAA STORE
EAA Founders Honored by GA’s Top Leaders
Paul Poberezny Receives Plaudits During FAA Session
Paul and Audrey Poberezny were honored during Friday’s Meet the FAA session at Sun ’n Fun. They were presented with benches that will remain at the Sun ’n Fun headquarters building, with Paul’s inscription reading “EAA Founder and Friend,” and Audrey’s, “First Lady of EAA.”
After Thursday’s storms at Lakeland, Fla., had postponed the scheduled evening program to honor Paul, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt used a portion of his annual “Meet The FAA” session at Sun ’n Fun for the program. Also included were Sun ’n Fun President John Burton, AOPA President Craig Fuller, GAMA President Pete Bunce, Dr. Peggy Chabrian, president of Women in Aviation International, and Stephan Brown, president of the Commemorative Air Force.
There was much praise by all the speakers toward Paul, who received a large plaque from Sun ’n Fun that included pins for five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of volunteer services. The plaque also included a large root from the Lakeland fly-in grounds, honoring Paul as the man who built recreational aviation “from the ground up.”
Paul and his wife, Audrey, were also honored with benches that will remain at the Sun ’n Fun headquarters building. Paul was called “EAA Founder and Friend,” while Audrey’s bench included the inscription as “First Lady of EAA.”
At the conclusion of the honors, Paul took the stage for several brief remarks, including a favorite line with which he has closed many speeches through the years.
“Aviation made us millionaires,” he said of he and Audrey. “Because we now have a million friends.”
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