Volunteers to be Honored Throughout AirVenture

July 24, 2016 - Nothing that happens during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh would be possible without the support of our volunteers. To show our appreciation, each year EAA presents several awards to volunteers who have generously dedicated their time and talents to AirVenture. The Dorothy Hilbert award and the Brown Arch Brick award are two of the most prestigious of these.

The late Dorothy Hilbert was an EAA Convention/AirVenture volunteer for 35 years; the award named after her is given to the female AirVenture volunteer who best exemplifies the same passion and dedication to volunteerism that Dorothy did during her time with EAA.

This year’s recipient is Mary Jeanne Trosky, who has volunteered in First Aid for 35 years. “I’ve loved nursing since I was a little girl,” Trosky said after the Sunday ceremony at Volunteer Park. “After coming to the convention a few years with my husband, I got tired of all the walking around and looking at so many planes.”

So, in 1982 she started volunteering in First Aid, and she took over as chairman in 2004. Trosky has no idea how many hours she’s volunteered over the years, except she knows it is a lot. But all the work is worth it, she said. “Some people will send you thank you letters, telling how you saved their vacation; that’s what makes it special.”

The Brown Arch Brick Award is given to volunteers whose contributions have made a significant impact on AirVenture. Recipients are selected by EAA’s senior leadership team and presented with a brick underneath EAA’s historic Brown Arch. Last year the award was presented to: 

• Bob Oberbeck, Admissions Main Gate North
• Mike Williams, Boeing Plaza
• Dennis Hasha, Homebuilt Headquarters and Volunteer Advisory Committee
• Ken Jordan, North 40 Registration
• Chapter 439