URRG cancellation updates

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Mdutch

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
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Location
Rochester, NY
Dear URRG members,

In light of growing coronavirus health crisis and in keeping with CDC and government recommendations, we are canceling the April general membership meeting, which was to take place on 9th of the month.

We are also monitoring the situation with regards to the club launch schedule. We are as anxious to get out on the field and fly as much as everyone else is. However, the health and safety of our members, their families and guests on the field is paramount. As such, we will be addressing upcoming club events and launches on a case-by-case basis as the situation develops.

We will be evaluating the feasibility of holding launch events on an ongoing basis, and will announce a judgement for each launch date in the weeks prior to it occurring. We thank you for your patience and encourage you to check back for updates. Keep healthy and stay safe.

Sincerely,

URRG Board of Directors
 
April 7, 2020
URRG Members,
As the Coronavirus continues to spread and the public health crisis worsens, the URRG Board of Directors has had to continuously reevaluate our plans for the Club’s upcoming launch season. We have already cancelled general membership meetings and were on alert that the first launch of the spring was in jeopardy. As such, and in cooperation with NY State’s formal stay-at-home requirements and the recommendations of the CDC, we have no choice but to cancel both the April and May launches.
Current requirements ban any unnecessary travel through the end of April, and the current projections of the virus progress suggests that we will not be out of the woods for a number of weeks to come. As this situation begins to impact our membership more directly, we find that we have to err on the side of absolute caution. The well-being, health and safety of all of you are foremost in our minds as we make this decision. As we’ve said before, we very much want to get out on the field and fly just like all of you. However, under the circumstances, the very best thing we can all be doing right now is to stay at home, wash your hands a lot, and use utmost caution when you do have to venture out.
We expect that the hand washing aspect will also become very important in the interim because of all the glue and epoxy that will be on them. Let’s face it - what better way to pass the time than to build more rockets, right?
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for updates. The BOD will endeavor to keep you informed of the status of the summertime schedule, including for URRF. We are also investigating the possibility of hosting a virtual membership meeting by way of Zoom, so as to better keep folks connected. So check back soon for more information.
Stay healthy and stay safe!
Sincerely,
The URRG BOD
 
April 23, 2020


URRG Members,


There is no soft way to put this, so we’ll be direct: we feel that there is no responsible way to host URRF-7 this June. Even as downstate NY begins to see light at the end of the tunnel, communities in the upstate region are still at risk of infection. As such, encouraging large numbers of visitors from out of the area - or indeed, out of state - is not a wise thing to do.



With the Coronavirus continuing to spread and has impacted larger sections of the country, the URRG Board of Directors has had to continuously reevaluate upcoming events. As previously noted, the launches for both April and May are already scrubbed.


We did investigate the possibility of rescheduling the event. However, the conditions that allow URRF to take place in June are unique - there’s a narrow window between the start of summer and the growth of the nearby crops. We are, afterall, operating on an active farm. By the time the crops are harvested and the rear field is accessible again, we are out into the cooler and wetter months. So, with that in mind, URRF-7 is canceled outright for 2020. We expect, though, for URRF to come with a roar in June of 2021.


The Torrey Farm, which hosts our events, is running with reduced staff and has had to plant crops differently than we’re used to. Our favorite campground, Country Charm, is uncertain to be able to accomodate us. And on top of that, the financial burden that this pandemic has placed the majority of people in means that turn out would be low even if we did fly. In short as much as it pains us to admit, putting on a large regional launch this summer is just not practical.


Even though URRF is scrubbed, we would like to thank our members and our guests for their support and regret the inconvenience. Anyone that has already registered for the event, or purchased tee shirts and raffle tickets, can expect a refund by PayPal. We would also like to thank the vendors that were lined up to attend the event as well; we would’ve seen a larger turn out than in the past and many of these vendors had already donated prizes for the raffles.


Stay tuned in the coming weeks for updates. At the time of this writing, we anticipate our season opening with the July launch, on the weekend of the 18th of that month. Also, we are pleased to announce that in lieu of having spring meetings and launches, URRG will host a general membership meeting by Zoom on the evening of May 6 that 6:30PM. This will at least give us the chance to chat, pass on the news, and have some show-and-tell. So check back soon for more information.


Stay healthy and stay safe!


Sincerely,

The URRG BOD
 
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