Topic: The NEAR-Fest "Lifetime Pass" Award

[W1RC]

One of the most important NEAR-Fest traditions that has become an integral part of the hamfest is the Lifetime Pass Award program.  Every NEAR-Fest at the Closing Ceremony held Saturday at 2:00 a LIFETIME PASS is awarded to an individual who has made "a significant and documented contribution to the advancement, improvement and overall enjoyment of the art and science of Amateur Radio in New England or other areas adjacent thereto".  Awardees are not required to hold an Amateur Radio license to receive a LIFETIME PASS provided they otherwise qualify and meet the eligibility requirements.

A total of 38 Lifetime Passes have been awarded to date; currently there are 31 living recipients.

The Lifetime Pass Award program was actually instituted prior to the first NEAR-Fest in April 2007 when three individuals were accorded a pass good "for life" to NEAR-Fest giving them and their spouses total and unlimited access to the hamfest and all its' attendant amenities for as long as they shall live and we are running this event. 

These first three honored individuals were:

Robert V. "Bob" Tiffany, W1GWU of Alton, New Hampshire
Joseph M. "Joe" DeMaso, K1RQG (SK), of Bucksport, Maine
Norman B. "Norm" Blake, WA1IVB (now W1ITT) of West Baldwin, Maine

This honor was bestowed upon these three gentlemen in recognition and gratitude for their outstanding contribution to Amateur Radio in New England for conceiving and organizing THE HOSSTRADERS TAILGATE SWAPFEST, aka "Deerfield", "Rochester", "Rainchester" etc, for 34 years, (1973-2006) and for raising in excess of 1.3 MILLION DOLLARS donated to the Shriners' Hospitals in Speingfield, MA and Montreal Canada as well as the Burns Unit in Boston MA.

It was decided to make the Lifetime Pass Award a permanent part of every NEAR-Fest to recognize and honor an individual for their outstanding accomplishment or service to the Hobby.

NEAR-Fest I      No pass awarded.

NEAR-Fest II     Arleen W., KF6LAF(SK) and Neil A. Kaltman, K6SMF as they were the farthest traveled visitors to NEAR-Fest I and II.

NEAR-Fest III    Bruce C. Anderson, W1LUS, Tewksbury Massachusetts; Volunteer Examiner Team coordinator presiding over the VE examining sessions for many years including at every NEAR-Fest since NEAR-Fest I.

NEAR-Fest IV     John C. Moore, N1FOJ,(SK) Hopkinton New Hampshire; "El Presidente" (ex-officio), Contoocook Valley Radio Club (CVRC); and Lee D. Scott, AA1YN, Hooksett,  New Hampshire; for overseeing licensing classes and construction of Amateur Station KA1SKY at the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium.

NEAR-Fest V      Wayne Green II, W2NSD/1(SK), Hancock, New Hampshire; Publisher of 73 Magazine and other publications; advocate for and defender of amateur radio for over forty years..

NEAR-Fest VI     Stephen L. Finberg, W1GSL, ( SK) Cambridge, Massachusetts; organizer of the "Flea at M.I.T." and publisher of the Electronic Flea Market list.

NEAR-Fest VII    Donald Dashney, VE3RM/VE2SH (SK), L'Orignal, Ontario;  Amateur radio licensing  instructor and mentor to thousands of Canadian radio amateurs for over 40 years.

NEAR-Fest VIII   the late Robert Wiggin, Rochester New Hampshire; Head Shriner, Simadi Shrine Club, Hosstraders and NEAR-Fest volunteers for over 30 years.

NEAR-Fest IX     Robert C. Mitchell, Sr., W1NH, Raymond New Hampshire; Volunteer at HOSSTRADERS and NEAR-Fest for as many years as we can remember and more.

NEAR-Fest X      Allan H. Weiner, Monticello Maine; Proprietor and General Manager of shortwave station WBCQ; Friend of NEAR-Fest.

Also at NEAR-Fest X a special category, HEROES OF DEERFIELD was created to honor three individuals

                         Brent R. "Brenteena" Desautels, W1IA, Derry NH
                         James J. Evans, N1HTS. Massachusetts
                         James J. Martin, Jr., W1KQ, Massachusetts

                         for their unselfish service to NEAR-Fest I in May 2007 in working diligently to maintain the cleanliness of the Deerfield Fairgrounds at personal sacrifice while all others were enjoying the hamfest they have been awarded Lifetime Passes as a component part of their special award.

NEAR-Fest XI    Dale P. Clement, AF1T, Henniker, New Hampshire; Instructor, lecturer and mentor to large number of New Hampshire radio amateurs for many years.

NEAR-Fest XII   Thomas B. Perera, W1TP, Hancock, Vermont; Internationally known academic, researcher, author and lecturer on telegraphy, ENIGMA crypto and other amateur radio-related topics for over forty years.

NEAR-Fest XIII  Burton E. Fisher, K1OIK, West Sandwich Massachusetts; Official NEAR-Fest Videographer; Producer, director, cameraman and editor of numerous NEAR-Fest videos since NEAR-Fest IV and Sheryl Bolduc, Fremont, New Hampshire;  President (ex-officio), Deerfield Fair Association, Friend of NEAR-Fest since 2007.

NEAR-Fest XIV  No pass awarded

NEAR-Fest XV  Mitchell Stern, W1SJ, Essex Junction, VT and Dave Hawke, KQ1L, Augusta, ME.

September 2014 - A special presentation of the Lifetime Pass was made to the ten Directors of the World Radiosport Team Championship 2014 in recognition and appreciation of their monumental four-year accomplishment in bringing this prestigious world-class event to Eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  The recipients are:

Doug Grant, K1DG, Windham NH, President, general management.
Randy Thompson, K5ZD, Uxbridge MA, VP, marketing, PR, media relations.
Tom Frenaye, K1KI, Suffield CT, Secretary, site selection, testing, training.
Richard Green, WC1M, Hanover NH, Treasurer, finances.
Mark Pride, K1RX, Kensington, NH, antenna systems design, "Beam Teams"
Dan Street, K1TO, Myakka City FL, team and referee selection.
Larry "Tree" Tyree, N6TR, Boring OR, log checking, final scoring.
Andy Blank, N2NT, Dayton NJ, competition, rules, judging.
John Dorr, K1AR, Windham NH, hospitality, transportation.
Dave Pascoe, KM3T, Amherst NH, IT, live scoreboard, communications.

NEAR-Fest XVI John Dilks, K2TQN, Egg Harbor NJ, Vintage radio writer and lecturer.

NEAR-Fest XVII Bill Barber, NE1B, Hudson, NH, Organizer and leader of the NEDECN digital DMR radio network in New England; Jeremy "Jerry" Muller, K0TV,(SK), Hudson NH, many years of service and dedication to the amateur radio community,

NEAR-Fest XVIII No Lifetime Pass awarded.

NEAR-Fest XIX Special Lifetime Passes were awarded to Jim McIrvin, N1IPA, Harry McNelley, N1TTT and John Goran, K1JJS for many years of service running the NEAR-Fest commercial operations department.

NEAR-Fest XX No Lifetime Pass awarded.

NEAR-Fest XXI No Lifetime Pass awarded

NEAR-Fest XXII George Rancourt, K1ANX, Southampton MA.  Military Radio (R-390A) and "spy radio" guru, long-time NEAR-Fest forum presenter.

NEAR-Fest XXIII No Lifetime Pass awarded.

NEAR-Fest XXIV David J. Ring, N1EA, Marine Radio Officer who in 1980 was directly responsible for saving 535 souls from the sinking MS Princendam ablaze off the coast of Alaska.

NEAR-Fest XXV George Maier, W1LSB for his reasearch and interesting presentations about vintage radio at NEAR-Fest, Boxborough and other area fests.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 2020: 1. Gardner ?Gardi? Winchester II KA1BTK, in recognition of his many years of faithful service to NEAR-Fest.

Who will be the next person to be so honored?

To answer this question you will have to come to Deerfield NH on May 4th 2019 at 2:00 to find out.

73,

MrMike, W1RC