Hang Gliding and Paragliding Volume 44 / Issue 3: March 2014 | Page 13

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Exceptional Service
“Our sites are what keep our sports
alive,” declared one of Jon Stallman's
nominators, and then he and several
others began enumerating the many
ways Jon has been instrumental in keeping free flight alive. Here is an abbreviated list of what convinced the Awards
committee that Jon has indeed offered
exceptional service to the pilot community over the years.
*In a project that spanned over three
years, Jon developed the Bidwell Park
site in Chico, California. He worked
patiently and meticulously with city
officials to change a local law, and
conducted the required environmentalimpact and risk-mitigation studies.
*After a fire swept through the
Potato Hill site last year, closing it to
paragliding, Jon worked closely with
the US Forest Service to “reinvent”
this popular thermal site, and started a
fund-raising project to pay for the improvements. Within an amazingly brief
period of time, he’d raised over $3300
to help pay for expanding the existing
launch area, erecting a shade structure
and, as one nominator puts it, “installing fancy European-style turf over the
entire launch.” He also organized volunteer work parties to provide the sweat
equity. Finally, he negotiated access to
property that provides a significantly
larger and safe ȁ1h