This piece originally ran in the December 2020 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine.
Starting in 1998, Kathy Frey, EAA 1069808, has been a mainstay in Camp Scholler, assisting campers in finding suitable camping sites and helping out with just about anything else that might come up during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
“I got involved [with EAA] through my husband [Larry],” Kathy explained. “He volunteered on the flightline and attended forums. We parked in the pets section, so volunteering was an easy step for me because I could be near the pets, my two dogs, and still be able to help and do something productive.”
At Camp Scholler, Kathy’s primary duty is to assist with any camper looking for a site, but it certainly doesn’t end there, with days usually lasting around 12 hours.
“Helping campers find a camping space that is a suitable site for themselves and everything else,” Kathy said with a laugh. “I do everything from providing information, locating services on-site and off-site, RV repairs, finding lost pets and lost people. We alert folks when there’s developing storms coming and help them batten down the hatches and all that sort of thing. We generally assist, but parking campers is the main emphasis.”
Although Kathy started her volunteer efforts due to her husband, the passion she’s developed for volunteering in the past two decades is all her own making.
“I just really enjoy meeting people and being of use, I guess you could say,” Kathy said. “I know the campground, obviously, by now. Helping people get around and giving them information, particularly newcomers, is fun. Newcomers are fun because they have no clue what they’ve just driven into. When they see the huge campsite that is Camp Scholler, they’re just astounded. When they come back from the first day on the line, it’s amazing to see them overwhelmed. As strange as it may sound, the adrenaline rush of directing arrivals to safe overflow camping areas during occasional heavy rains is particularly challenging yet extremely satisfying.”
Between the volunteers she’s worked with and the regular campers she’s interacted with each year at AirVenture, Kathy has seen her circle of friends grow in a huge way since she first started helping out back in the late 1990s.
“I’ve met so many dedicated volunteers and wonderful campers, and I highly recommend that fellow EAA members consider volunteering for one of the many activities,” she said. “You’ll not only find volunteering rewarding, you will also make many lifelong friends along the way.”
Volunteers make EAA AirVenture Oshkosh — and just about everything else EAA does — possible. This space in EAA Sport Aviation is dedicated to thanking and shining the spotlight on volunteers from the community. Sadly, it cannot capture all of the thousands of volunteers who give so much to the community every year. So, next time you see a volunteer at AirVenture or elsewhere, however they are pitching in to make EAA better, be sure to thank them for it. It’s the least we can do. Do you know a volunteer you’d like to nominate for Volunteer Spotlight? Visit EAA.org/Submissions.