Aug 21 2008
AFTER ACTION REPORT-CRIPPLE CREEK
The War Museum survived Armed Forces Appreciation Weekend in Cripple Creek in spite of the 35-45 degree temps, rain and nearly constant drizzle. They did manage an hour or two of sunshine w/cold winds for the Sat. parade and got in a great fly-by on Sunday.
I want to thank Sharon and Walt Winters for the help Friday in getting things set-up - they stayed all weekend and Walt worked thru to pack-up. Thanks too to Roger Patterson who arrived late Friday night and stayed over to work both days and help with the pack-up. Margaret and Eric Brettschneider worked most of Saturday with Margaret selling a few of her novels and donating a $1 each to the Museum. Also helping on Saturday or Sunday were Peter Blake (potential member), Robert Brightwell Gary Hurelle and Rick Beaver.
We all took a shift or two helping Col. McPherson (the Cripple Creek City Manager) docent his newly acquired and refurbished Mike Model gun ship. It looks to be in perfect condition down to fresh 1970’s paint job, rockets, guns and even live ammo belts for the side mounted 60’s…says he’ll fix that before next outing. Anyway, Rick talked him out of an extra jump seat and he thinks he may be able to help the Chapter get a Huey or two of our own. He too tried it the right/legal way and ended up number 1,142 on the approved list. So he had to resort to friends of friends and ended up with six - two he kept for the City and four he steered to the Carolina Chapter of VHPA… they just had to pick them up in New Mexico, which is what we would have to do as well—I told him no problem with that, so I guess we’ll have to see what happens.
I will stay in touch with him. He did ask for us to return next year when the event will be one weekend earlier - they will again pay transport costs again and help with over night rooms…(they covered the costs of 3 rooms for 2 nights and would have paid for Sunday if we had needed it. There were numerous reduced meals for veterans and tons of activities even in the crappy weather from WWII battle reenactments, Hawaiian Tropic Swim Suit models and the Marine Corps Band.
We sold one model and raised $71.27 in donations with the fairly light but steady traffic - at least the A/C kept up.
Remember this event for next year.
Ed Fickes
Helicopter War Museum Operations Officer