West Valley Amateur Radio Club marked its 65th anniversary with a picnic on Saturday, October 3, at Beardsley Park in Sun City West. Members gathered at Ramada 7 to mark a milestone in the club’s life.
For Eric, KM7GHS, a highlight was meeting people he had previously spoken with only on the radio, including Lucas, K7ETV; Adam, N7XAK; Neil, W7NEL; and many others.
Sudden Strangers was a big part of what made the picnic special. With plenty of classic rock covers and a few other tunes mixed in, their music helped set the tone for the celebration. They weren’t just background entertainment; they were an important part of the day.
Thank you to Don, W3WIN, and Rolf, KG0KM, for organizing the food from Dillons, and to Josh, KE7WIL, for arranging the club’s 65th Sapphire Anniversary T-shirts and handing them out at the picnic.
Amateur radio was part of the picnic, too. Adam, N7XAK, operated the special-event station under the club callsign NY7S from the shirt tent, adding contacts to the club’s log.
The club’s beginnings were personal, too. In 1961, seven hams from Youngtown and Sun City began meeting on one another’s patios. Those small gatherings grew into the amateur radio community we know as WVARC today. Sixty-five years later, getting together remains part of what makes a club a club.
The anniversary offers a chance to appreciate the people who have kept WVARC going through the years, from its earliest members to those finding their place in amateur radio today. The October picnic is one more entry in that shared history. Here’s to more time together, on the air and in person.