“No matter where you look, this society has had a heck of an impact,” said Ian Patrick, at the annual meeting of the Greenwood Military Aviation Museum Society October 24.
Patrick, the society chairman for all of its 30 years, took the opportunity at the AGM to “put some perspective” on what three decades’ volunteer work has built, all in support of capturing and highlighting the history and heritage of CFB Greenwood, its aircraft and operations, and the personnel who have contributed to missions at home and abroad since the 1940s.
“In 1993, we had no building, no plans for one and the wing commander (Ken Allen) who had the okay to start and run with a museum got posted,” Patrick said. “The first museum opened in 1995 in the current VP International building, just 1,100 square feet, and that started the whole thing.”
Museum progress continued down an often “rocky road of money, people and interest,” until 1999, when then wing commander Brian Handley responded to new Chief od defence Staff directives on how military museums should operate, and the GMAM moved into space at the CANEX Mall and “took off.
“We now had the space, the interest; we grew the board, we were certified by Ottawa as a non-profit, registered organization,” Patrick said, detailing the further development of exhibits, art collection, archives, the exterior airpark and the memorial garden.
“You have to marvel at the ingenuity of the people who contributed to it, the work that’s been done – monumental achievements.”
Some of those achievements were honoured at the AGM, as Patrick presented GMAM Society volunteer recognition pins to several members, including Robert McElman, 15-plus years; Malcolm Uhlman, 10-plus years; and Perry Matte, five-plus years (due to COVID-19, presentations are at least two or three years delayed). Pins will also be presented to David Saulnier, 10-plus years; Walter Crocker, 10-plus years; Douglas Butt, five-plus years; and Robert Lorencz, five-plus years; at later dates
Handley, now the GMAM Society’s president, thanked society volunteers “for all their support over the past year, and for volunteering for another year.
“We’re entering a significant year (2024) with the RCAF 100th anniversary.”
The GMAM Society returned Patrick as chairman, Handley as president, Matte as vice-president, Bert Campbell as secretary and Butt as treasurer. Society directors include Joan Patrick, Uhlman and Lorencz.
