Volunteer Park Brick Award Recipients of 2016

October 2016 - The annual Volunteer Park Award was created at AirVenture Oshkosh 2013 to recognize volunteers who made an impact on the organization. The brick provides an opportunity for volunteers, members, and staff to nominate volunteers who have gone above and beyond for EAA. The following individuals were recognized in 2016.

Walter Ballauer

Walt, 70, has been a member of EAA since he was 15 years old. He was very active in his New Jersey EAA Chapter 216, acting as president prior to moving to Michigan in 2003.

Now, as part of EAA Chapter 907 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, Walt has served as treasurer for 10 years, newsletter editor, web master, and technical counselor. He has flown 71 Young Eagles and is active in the Eagle Flights program as well. Walt is involved with chapter activities at community events and loves to mentor young people in aviation.

Walt has been attending AirVenture for more than 40 years and volunteers to sell raffle tickets for the Ford Mustang to benefit the Young Eagles program.

He has been influential in getting his family involved with EAA and encouraged his wife Margaret to join. She is now the president of Chapter 907. He has encouraged, mentored, and subsidized his granddaughter’s aviation interests; she is currently a student pilot.

Richard Bronson

Richard has been serving EAA as a volunteer for more than 40 years.

He is a member of EAA Chapter 383 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and was instrumental in the acquisition of EAA Chapter 383’s hangar as well as its relocation and setup as a museum and source of local aviation activity. He has served as chapter president in addition to taking on other roles in the chapter. His leadership in Chapter 383 has made it a robust and modern chapter.

Richard has led many work groups out to Oshkosh to help prepare for AirVenture. His work with the warbirds helped forge a relationship for the Manitowoc Air Show.

Jeff Point

Jeff has been volunteering with EAA for more than 20 years and is a member of EAA Chapter 18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Jeff built an RV-6 and is currently building a Breezy. He is a technical counselor helping others with their builds and opens his hangar so others can see his project. He readily answers questions and promotes homebuilding. At every chapter meeting, he brings something for “show and tell” and shares building tips and/or supplier recommendations. He also hosts builder-assist programs.

Jeff flies Young Eagles in his RV-6 and has flown 76 youngsters to date.

He is dedicated to AirVenture, arriving early and staying late to prepare and clean up campsites for other volunteers along with the work area in Homebuilts . During AirVenture, he works from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Jeff is an inspiration to his chapter members and those who volunteer with him during AirVenture.