NY Flyers History 1995 - 2000

Richard G. aka Papa Bear

The years 1995 – 2000 were developmental for the team. The elections in late 1992 inaugurated the foundations of the present team: the election of officers, the adoption of by-laws, and the establishment of the inclusive nature of its membership. But the five years after the end of the terms of the originally elected offices was no less important, in that the continual rising to leadership positions of newer members became almost a tradition.

I’ve singled out the elected officers in each of these years to illustrate the gradual maturing of the team. This is not to say the many, many appointed positions on the team, such as captains, social organizers or advisors were less important, but realistically, almost all decisions tend to devolve from the officers – with a good bit of traditions thrown in.

I am indebted to the availability of a complete set of newsletters from this era (together with my slightly more fallible memory) for much of the information. I have also tried to use photos from the times being related, which meant going back to many hard-copy photographs (remember those?) and scanning them in.

I’ve also stressed the communications aspects of the club’s history, while only mentioning a few key events. In doing so, I may have slighted the social scene or the athletic accomplishments to some extent, but you can’t do everything in one blog posting, and since communications is my thing, that’s how this posting came out.

And for those things I may have gotten a little wrong, and to those folks I may have omitted – my apologies.

1995

President: Amanda N, Vice President: Allison C, Secretary: Heidi C. Treasurer, Kathleen N, Member-at-Large: Ed S.


Amanda, Allison, Ed with Heidi, and Kathleen

With the exception of Kathleen, the new slate of officers for 1995 had joined after the founders’ era (basically 1989 – 1992) or at least they overlapped that era only slightly. I can remember Mandy and Heidi both asking me after the 1995 election “What are we supposed to do now?” (or words to that effect). Yes, Jerry, the membership chair, and later Ed O., the elections chair, were there to help, but still the new officers were now on their own to steer the ship. I recall Heidi especially getting up to steam quickly and revamping the Newsletter and setting the standard for getting the message out to the team in a fun and efficient manner.

Heidi consolidated the Bulletin and Newsletter and produced a lively monthly product. She started "FootNotes," a column of social happenings. She also introduced her delightful cartoons, which we have enjoyed off and on for nearly 15 years. She published the first Member Profile, of Muriel M, in the October issue. That issue also gave a moving response to a tragedy that occurred in the Park shortly before. It’s tough reading, but it pays to remember the past, both the good and the bad (see articles on the front page in the box on page 5): October 1995 Newsletter

1996

President: Julie G, Vice President: Tim D, Secretary: Leslie D, Treasurer: Ken M, Member-at-Large: Sandy A.


Julie, Tim, Ken and Sandy (Leslie not shown)

When Ed O., the elections chair, sent Julie a letter (yes, they used U.S. Mail in those days) about being nominated for club president, she had been a member for less than a year. She said “Sure”. And what a president she became. She was active, amiable, was later voted Flyer of the Year (for 1998) and subsequently was elected to the NYRRC board of directors. It seemed that whenever something had to be done, Julie would say “Sure!”

On the newsletter front, Leslie continued the good work Heidi had begun, and introduced the column "Captain's Corner." She also managed to recruit Francine A as the FootNotes Editor, a position Francine has ably filled off and on (mostly on) to the present day.

I also recall that Francine started collecting email addresses in late 1995 and started sending out tidbits of news to the then small group of email-connected Flyers. Then on June 12, 1996, I received an email sent out by VP Tim D. (Sorry Francine, I lost your 1995 emails). There were 40 names on the distribution list. The subject was the Shelter Island 10K which took place the previous Sunday. Thus started the weekly email which has continued in several formats to the present biweekly version.


In 1996, the Boston Athletic Association celebrated the hundredth running of the Boston Marathon with great ceremony and a record 38,708 entrants, a record for any marathon at that time. It was also the first major race to use timing chips, and anyone around before 1996 knows that was a HUGE change. The Flyers sent 45 runners to the race, which might be an all time record. For a glimpse of the Flyers activities, see the following flashback (including a slideshow): Flashback to 1996 – the 100th Boston Marathon



Flyers at Boston waiting for the bus



1997

President: Sandy A, Vice President: Jonathan B, Secretary: Tim D, Treasurer: Ken M, Member-at-Large: Julie G



Sandy, Jonathan, Tim, Ken and Julie

A great deal of movement took place during Sandy’s term, particularly on the communications front. She was also relatively new to the team, having been elected Member-at-Large a little over a year after joining the club, and then became president the next year. She has remained very active to this day, now serving on the Advisory Committee.

Tim produced a very professional looking newsletter in a folded booklet format. Interestingly, email addresses appeared for the first time with the names of the clubs officers in the Newsletter.

On the internet front, in February, http://www.columbla.edu/-ae21 became the Flyer web site (on Ariella E.'s account at Columbia University where she was a grad student) and Chris M was listed as Webmaster. In July, David H took over as Webmaster and in August, the web site was moved to http://www.nyflyers.org/, where it remains today. It was said at the time that the Flyers had a web site before the NYRRC. Maybe it’s true.

And in August of 1997, for the first time a team of 12 Flyers went to Oregon and ran in the Hood to Coast Relay. A complete report of the Flyers first Hood to Coast Relay written by each of the 12 runners appeared in the Newsletter and also on its own web page. That web page has moved a few times, but the report is still there – check it out: The Flyers at the 1997 Hood to Coast Relay.

The 1997 Hood to Coast Team



1998

President: Jonathan B, Vice President: Peter B, Secretary: Julie H, Treasurer: Ken M, Member-at-Large: Ed A


Jonathan, Peter, Julie, Ken and Ed

Jonathan B and Tim K founded the Flyers in July 1989. After the election of new officers in October 1992, they both took a fairly low profile, in part to give the newly elected officers some “breathing room.” But in the mid 1990s — 6 or 7 years later — Jonathan started getting engaged again with the Flyers in a leadership role. In the July 1996 issue of the Newsletter, Jonathan wrote "THE GENESIS OF THE NEW YORK FLYERS" which is as worth while to read today as it was 15 years ago. Here is a quote:

"Tim and I had discovered that many clubs only lent themselves to fast, competitive runners, while shutting out average and slow runners. Our focus was then to create a club that would "promote the average runner", while still at the same time welcoming slow and fast runners. That evening, we joined the New York Harriers at a local establishment called "Kinsale" that still exists on the Upper East Side … Tim started to get very serious and focused about the function and structure of a more purposeful running club. … As the Guinness pints continued to evaporate, we were slowly able to put together a solid, strong, philosophical foundation … Tim and I quickly spread the word and a week later we had our first meeting with seven new members, who were nicknamed "The Magnificent Seven". The meeting was held in The New York Road Runners' Library … Probably, the funniest statement we made that evening was "That some day we might grow to twenty or even thirty members!”

I highly recommend that you read the whole thing: Genesis of the NY Flyers

The next year Jonathan was elected Vice President, and then in 1998 he was elected for the first of two terms as President.

In my opinion, Jonathan was a visionary and hard working president who instituted a number of important functions, and more importantly institutionalized some functions that had been carried on previously on an ad hoc basis. His one hope that was not realized was to update the NY Flyers by-laws. But to his credit, that was a very daunting task. When I think of the effort that was taken, nearly 10 years later to finally accomplish that job, I think of Jonathan and give him credit for the vision he had.

Although newsletters as far back as Heidi's in 1995 had included art work and line drawings, to Julie H goes the honor of publishing the first NY Flyers Newsletter photo — of Cliff H, Terry B and Kenny L at the 1998 Brooklyn Half — in the April 1998 issue.

And Jonathan’s hand can be seen in the March 1998 issue — a new appointed position, "Political Action Chair" (Julie G) was listed, and in the April 1998 issue, also under appointed positions, the "Advisory Committee" (consisting of Jerry F, Alex G, Laura L and Ed O) was first listed.



Advisory Committee: Jerry, Laura, Alex and Ed



1999

President: Jonathan B, Vice President: Amy S, Secretary: Sara D, Treasurer: Ken M, Member-at-Large: Ed A.
 

Jonathan, Amy, Sara, Ken, and Ed

Jonathan was the first elected president since Jerry F to serve two terms. Knowing Jonathan, I think he felt he just had too many ideas to get implemented in a single year.

By the way, did you notice Ken was elected Treasurer no less than 4 years in a row! That’s a record. Thanks Ken for those years of (mostly unappreciated) work.

The new secretary, Sara D, began her two-year stint as "Editrix" of the newsletter. The style was lively and intelligent, and she went on to win national honors from the RRCA for best newsletter for a medium-sized club.

In December, Barry B was named the new Webmaster, which was also when the newsletter began to appear on the NY Flyers web site (in full color) and became available as a download instead of a monochrome paper version to be mailed out.

And so by the start of the new millennium, the club had come of age in the electronic era. And by the end of the year 2000, the last piece of the puzzle — the elections of officers — also moved to the electronic age. But that’s a story for the next chapter!

Richard G.

Blogmaster's Note: Richard G. (aka Papa Bear) joined the club in February 1991, was secretary on the first elected board (1993 and 1994) and has been active in many capacities since that time.  -Dave K.