Ed Yost - yes you can do something greatMessage published on 5/28/2007 in the Interaeroleague Balloon Mailing listWith a broad smile on my face! That was how Ed Yost closed many of his letters to me. Two good friends are now gone. Christine Kalakuka and Ed Yost. I had the great fortune to spend time with these great personalities. Christine and Brent Stockwell were and Brent continues to be my friend, teacher and counselor. A few years ago Christine asked me to get involved with something called the Balloon Historical Society. Simply put, this was one of Ed's passions. Ed was a product of history who made history. He also understood the importance of honoring those who came before him. Those who were and are in the arena. The Balloon Historical Society, while funded through Ed's generosity and fueled by his charisma and impatience for mediocrity, centers around that small crater just west of Rapid City, SD that is the "Birthplace of Space Exploration." So named by Joe Kittinger, this small plot of land served as the platform for the early flights into the Stratosphere by the Explorer I and II expeditions of the 1930's. It is also a memorial to the work of Jean and Jeanette Piccard who along with Don's uncle Auguste were the earliest explorers of space. Much more occurred at the Stratobowl and today it is surrounded by federally protected land with two small memorials to history sitting on its rim. The first was placed in the 1950's by the National Geographic and the second was placed by the Balloon Historical Society under the careful supervision of Ed. There are many who worked with Ed on the project, but there have not been enough. Christine and Brent, Dave Sipple, Sherry and Joe Kittinger, Arley Fadness, the entire Voss family, Sharon and Buzz Wills, Tina and Keith Reeves, Susan and Jim Ellis and many others got the ball rolling. Four granite columns over six feet in height tell the story of the Stratobowl. But who sees them, who touches them, whose gaze falls upon the towering walls of the Stratobowl… unfortunately not many. Except for the few times in the last few years that Ed arranged for the laying of the stones, a celebration of their unveiling, and a pilgramage by those supporting Ed in his quest to have the memorial built, only wild sheep, rattlesnakes, occasional hikers and members of the US Forest service ever see this hallowed ground. Why isn't the Stratobowl a US National Monument? There are many reasons, but several stand out. First, the land at the base of the bowl is privately owned and the family that now lives there is not interested in the property becoming a monument. Next, the overlook where the monuments stand is government property and little interest has been raised around the idea of creating a visitor center and a ˝ mile road to the plot where the memorial plinths stand. We are certain that money can be raised to fund these construction projects. We believe the site, which is on Highway 16 halfway between Rapid City and Mount Rushmore, will have a tremendous number of visitors. Thousands of visitors to Mount Rushmore will drive by the proposed entrance to the Stratobowl visitor center and parking area. Small donations by visitors would certainly cover the ongoing costs of the site, small museum and roadway or tram to the site. Ed never asked for anyone else to reach into their pocketbooks to assist; however, even though we have the support of the State government, Rapid City mayor, the Smithsonian (which has shown interest in lending the Explorer II capsule to the museum), and the National Geographic, help is needed to win over the Federal Government and local land owners. If you have contacts in the Federal Government with the influence or know-how to help, please let us know. If you have the time to write a letter of support for the project, please start by sending me a letter that we can forward to our contacts in Washington, DC. I will write tomorrow with the address and suggested wording for your short note. Please join me in extended best wishes to Ed's sons Dale and Greg and their families on the loss of our friend. Let's put a big smile on Ed's face… and the other pioneers of ballooning and space exploration who inspire and fill us with awe. Warm wishes at a sad time,
John Craparo(E-mail) |