We had a great orator and not one, not two, but three guests interested in joining the Lions Club!

Bobbie Schoss has recently moved into town from out of state. She was a Lion in her old hometown. Dr. Samantha Capperman is with Oakmont Eyecare. Oakmont Eyecare is our network of ophthalmologists. I got a chance to thank her personally for helping us do the work we do. Ron Farwig is our very own Kathy Farwig’s husband. He visited us because of who the guest speaker was, Keith, McAfee Director of the Cleveland Jetport. Fun fact, Mr. Farwig was a pilot.

Keith McAfee, Director of Cleveland Jetport

Keith McAfee is a military man. He retired from the Marines. Military service runs in his blood as he is a 3rd generation marine. And as fate would have it, all his children are also in the Marines. He told the story of where he was on 9/11/2001. In his words, his claim to fame is that he was at the Air Control Squadron, there for a job, listening to a privileged high clearance call in Gulfport Mississippi when all airports were trying to land planes, and everyone was looking for the President of the United States. He listened to the call that informed everyone that the President was over the Gulf of Mexico on his way to safety. Mr. McAfee has great plans for the Cleveland airport, During the summer he plans to have summer nights there just to strengthen community involvement. The airport will have food trucks and will have airplanes on display. He wants to be involved with all youth initiatives. He informed us that in 10 to 20 years there will be a worldwide shortage of about 100k pilots. In maintenance it will be worse. There will be 5 to 6 positions vacant for each pilot. Since the airport here does not have a flight school, he wants to bring one to Cleveland. Cleveland High School has aviation classes, and their maintenance class is building an airplane in the library. McAfee wants to collaborate with them by giving them a hanger at the airport to build the plane. It is exciting to know that Cleveland is growing and thriving!