Couple lives by motto: volunteer doing what you love
For more than 20 years, Ben and Teresa Scola have spent part of their summer vacation at the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture. The Arlington Heights husband-and-wife team volunteers at the international fly-in convention. This year, aviation enthusiasts from around the world met for the 55th annual convention July 23-29 in Oshkosh, Wis.
"This is the largest aviation convention held in this country," Ben said. "To be part of something that big is a privilege."
For one week each summer, Wittman Regional Airport becomes the busiest airport in the world. This year, more than 10,000 aircraft arrived there and at other airports in east-central Wisconsin.
A certified Airframe and Engine mechanic, Ben has been involved in aviation for more than 55 years. He flies and maintains a Cessna 182 Skylane, which he's owned since 1990. As a volunteer pilot in EAA's Young Eagles program, he's given 261 youngsters their first ride in a general aviation plane.
The couple shares an interest in volunteering in aviation. Ben began volunteering years ago at camper registration. Over the years, he says the scope of his job evolved and he's been vice chairman of Camp Scholler for six years. Teresa joined him, working camper registration.
Camp Scholler is home for the thousands of visitors who pitch tents or park their RVs for the weeklong aviation exposition and air show.
As in past years, Ben, who's retired, arrived in Oshkosh several weeks in advance to help prepare for the convention. Teresa, who works as a registered nurse, joined him for four days of preparations at Showplane Camping Registration, where she's volunteered for the past seven years.
This year, Ben said he wanted "to be a grunt again," so he worked as a tram driver shuttling visitors from the EAA Museum to Pioneer Airport.
"It was a new schedule," Ben said. "I went back and forth over 50 hours before the convention."
During the convention, Ben was busy driving the volunteer shuttle taking workers to Flight Line Operations.
"I get to visit all the friends I've made over the years," Ben said, "and it helps support EAA, a group I'm active in and believe in."
Ben's one shift per day during the week-long convention left him plenty of time to enjoy the daily afternoon air shows, view the more than 800 aviation exhibits and to attend some of the numerous forums, workshops and seminars.
"I come up to keep abreast of new things," Ben said.
Meanwhile, Teresa kept busy registering vintage aircraft, totaling 1,014 airplanes. She said often the same people come every year and actually come up to register with her since they know her.
"I've worked with the same staff for years," Teresa said. "You get a lot of questions from people who come in early and you get to know them."
Teresa enters a pilot's name, the plane's N number or registration number found on each plane's fuselage, and a description of each plane.
She records the color, year of the plane, high wing or low wing and type of engine/horsepower. The pilot also tells her where it's parked. With more than 158 rows of planes, parking is a priority. Pilots also tell her if they want their plane judged.
"Last year, a man came and when I asked if he wanted his plane judged, he wasn't sure," Teresa recalled. "I said, 'What have you got to lose?'. He won a trophy!"
Teresa also volunteers registering campers as many who flew in camped under the wings of their planes. She also sold daily and weekly admission passes.
"The people are why I do it," Teresa said. "They're very happy to be here; they're excited and it makes you excited."
They both enjoy spending time with their grandchildren and families, too. Teresa also volunteers at their church.
Whether it's the dedication of volunteers at AirVenture or volunteers at home, the Scolas summarize the whole volunteer experience in a positive way.
"It's invigorating; we see the same people every year," Ben said. "It's energizing."
"We're not looking for anything back," Teresa said. "You get more back than you give."
Volunteers: