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Volunteers honored for service at National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

  • Published
  • By Sarah Swan
  • National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
DAYTON, Ohio --  The National Museum of the United States Air Force Volunteer Program celebrated its 31st anniversary by honoring more than 500 volunteers during a Volunteer Appreciation Banquet on April 18.

Garry Guthrie of Springboro received the 2012 Director's Award for Volunteer of the Year for his dedication and excellence in serving the museum and the U.S. Air Force.

Nominated by the Education and Restoration Divisions, Guthrie has devoted more than 3,000 hours of service during his three years as a museum volunteer. He assists with educational programs, including Family Day, Home School Days, Kite Day, Space Fest and Space Day and has repaired, designed and built aerospace demonstrations. He also serves as a continually-available gallery, 8th Air Force Control Tower and Nissen Hut volunteer and many times offers to serve before being asked. For the Restoration Division, Guthrie spearheads his shop team with engine restoration projects, leads restoration tours for visitors and assists with aircraft openings for reunion groups.

Other Volunteer of the Year nominees included Robert Fluck of Huber Heights, nominated by the Special Events Division; Yvonne Gehring of Fairborn, nominated by the Collection Management Division; Ronald Hunt of Beavercreek, nominated by the Air Force Museum Foundation; Virginia Miller of Kettering, nominated by the Operations Division; and Wayne Pittman of Beavercreek, nominated by the Research Division.

Additionally, 11 volunteers received special recognition during the banquet. Fred Korner of Riverside, Al Milam of Dayton, Sandra Moore of Dayton, Bob Pinizzotto of Beavercreek, David Rose of Kettering, and Paul Warner of Englewood received the President's Volunteer Service Award, which is awarded to those who have completed 4,000 hours or more of volunteer service. Ed Cope of Dayton, Jim Flesher of Tipp City, Constance Klarer of Dayton, and Mark Young of Pliny, W.V., were recognized for 30 years of volunteer service to the museum, and Mike Fitzsimmons of Laura was recognized for 25 years.

The museum also acknowledged 70 volunteers for reaching milestones of 1,000 to 9,000 hours of volunteer service. Overall, volunteers contributed 98,246 hours of service to the museum in 2012, representing $2.2 million dollars in assets to the Air Force.

Volunteers play a significant and critical role in the museum's mission, according to museum director Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jack Hudson.

"Our volunteers helped us share the Air Force story with more than 1.2 million visitors in person, and another 3.5 million online, from all over the world in 2012," Hudson said. "Every day, they show their dedication to preserving Air Force history and inspiring our youth as airpower advocates and toward careers in the Air Force and related fields, such as science, technology, engineering and math. We are grateful for their service."

The National Museum of the United States Air Force is located on Springfield Street, six miles northeast of downtown Dayton. It is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day). Admission and parking are free. For more information about the museum, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.


NOTE TO PUBLIC: For more information, please contact the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at (937) 255-3495.

NOTE TO MEDIA: For more information, please contact Sarah Swan at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Public Affairs Division at (937) 255-1283.