By Nicholas Toney, Museum Collection Specialist at the Florida Air Museum
I know this sounds like a simple question. Something that could be answered quickly by talking about the materials it was made out of or what imagery is on it.
But this question led me to wonder something deeper.
Each and every person who came to this event got a wristband. Some for one day, some for all week. But it is still a wristband. So, its value cannot be in the band itself, but in the people that buy it and the event itself.
One such wristband in question– the one in the photo– is one that all volunteers and staff wore last week during the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo. This wristband acts as our way to get to work, our ticket to helping others, and our freedom to get to meet new people in the industry. But there it rolls back again, a focus on people.
That is what I want to share here. SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo of course was about the airshows, the exhibits, the concerts, and all the fun that was had. However, it was also about the people that came to help us do great things for our community. That we, at the Aerospace Center for Excellence, can Engage, Educate, and Accelerate the next generation of aerospace professionals for the rest of the year. So that we at the Florida Air Museum could inspire others while preserving important aviation history. So that we can provide scholarships to the Central Florida Aerospace Academy for new aerospace professionals to be taught how to fly. So that new aerospace business can grow through the Elevate: Aerospace & Logistics Incubator. So that we can offer free Story Time every week on Tuesday and discounted events like Wing ‘n Waffles every month. All for people and our love of aviation.
So, what is in a wristband? The volunteers, the staff, the vendors, the airshow performers, the industry experts, the musicians, and all the friends who came to the show. That is what the wristband is all about. Good people doing good things for their community.
Thank you to everyone who made SUN ‘n FUN 51 the best! We truly have the best staff and volunteers anywhere. Thank you to the vendors for doing an awesome job providing delicious food and exciting products all week long. Thank you to the airshow performers who expertly demonstrated aviation maneuvers I still think seem impossible. Thank you to the musical artists that did an amazing job sharing their music throughout the event. And thank you to our extremely loyal fans that come every year. It is not possible without every single one of you.
We are excitedly getting ready for the next one and hope to see all y’all at SUN ‘n FUN 52. Until then, if you ever need a dose of aviation fun, please come on by and say hello to us at the Florida Air Museum and Aerospace Center for Excellence. I promise you, that $50 wristband is providing for great things year-round!
