GAIL STROCK
Mifflin Co. Correspondent
PENNSYLVANIA FURNACE
(Centre Co.) —Aileen Homan of
Pennsylvania Furnace, Centre
County, believes if you, have
something to offer, you should get
involved. Because of her committ
ment, she serves in such diverse
organizations as the Centre Coun
ty Solid Waste Authority, the
Land Preservation Board, Hospice
and The International Flying Far
mers (IFF).
Recently elected the first
female officer in the 4,500-mem
ber International Flying Farmer
organization, Homan accepted the
position of secretary after holding
every office in the Pennsylvania
Flying Farmers chapter. She
became Pennsylvania’s first
female president. She flies
through gender barriers like she
and her husband, Elwood, fly
through invisible state lines. But
to Aileen, serving in any organiza
tion is not a gender issue. She
serves because she has something
to contribute. If she breaks
through equality barriers in the
process, she said she’s glad to
have done it, but that it’s not her
main reason for getting involved.
By accepting the position of
secretary of the international
group, Aileen accepts the organi
zations’ five-year “up through the
ranks” policy—and the job of
president in four years. Each per
son elected as secretary accepts a
role change each year—from sec
retary to treasurer to vice presi
dent to president and, finally, to
past president.
“I told my husband, ‘Don’t
worry. I won’t get it!”’ Aileen
says of her reaction when asked to
run for secretary of the interna-'
tional organization. “But I look at
the men who have been president,
and their wives have done a lot.
Anything I have ever done,
Elwood has been supportive. I
believe you should stand up for
what you believe.”
Retired dairy farmers. Elwood
and Aileen joined IFF in 1952. A
licensed pilot at that time, Elwood
still flies over “Happy Valley” just
The Homan’s J 3 Cub plane was built In Lock Haven in 1946.
UOMESTEA
mmt mm*
Woman Flies Through Gender Barriers
about every evening, taking off
Born their grass airstrip in the field
just past the bam. Aileen soloed in
1955 and logged 40 hours of time
towards her pilot’s license. But
being at home to raise their eight
children took top priority over get
ting her license during die follow
ing years.
The Homan’s own a J 3 Cub
airplane, an antique two-seater
which was made in Lock Haven in
1946. Refurbished in 1988, Aileen
says their cub doesn’t take them
too far too fast, but that Elwood
keeps it in immaculate condition.
In spite of that, a lightweight air
craft is no match for a strong
headwind.
“A long time ago, we flew to
Philadelphia for a meeting in June.
Flying the Cub home, we flew and
flew and flew. Elwood said the
trucks and cars were going faster
than we were! We were in a terri
ble headwind. We got as far as Big
Valley (Miffling County) and just
couldn’t get over the mountain, so
we landed in a field and tied the
airplane to a hay rake!” Aileen
says she’s always looking for field
in which to land as they fly. “We
do have nice valleys to land in.”
At least three family members
have taken an interest in flying.
One son crop farms the 200-tilla
ble acre homested, Nine Oaks, and
has worked towards his license,
including soloing. One daughter
serves as treasurer for the state
organization. Her husband is
learning to fly. Their youngest
daughter’s husband is also learn
ing to fly. Another daughter was a
flight attendant for Pan Am.
Aileen says most members of
the* Flying Farmers are working
farmers. Some use their planes in
their business, such as in trans
porting embryos. Other fly trans
plant patients to hospitals. Over
all, Aileen says they are a very
congenial, nice, happy group.
As secretary, Aileen will cor
respond for the group. The trea
surer, a man from Nebraska,* takes
charge of the finances. The vice
president, from Saskatchewan, is
in charge of the organization’s
yearly Jr' ir A; it convention.
The newly-elected International Flying Farmer
front of the many awards she and her husband,
The current president, from India
na, plans their yearly January
workshop.
Aileen spent three days recently
getting acquainted with the main
OFF office in Wichita, Kansas.
One of her concerns is getting
young agriculturally oriented peo
ple involed in IFF. “It’s hard to get
young people involved,” she says.
‘They can’t afford to get their
license (a $5,000 investment with
out the plane) or they are spending
their time farming. We try to make
our conventions affordable and
timely.”
The Pennsylvania organization,
with a little more than 100 mem
bers, meets once a month of a bus
iness meeting, to tour local points
of interest, and to visit with each
other. Dues are $5O per year with
teens and juniors added for a mini
mal fee. Twenty teens participated
in the convention last year, elect
ing their own officers, and they
use convention time to work tow
ards their license. Aileen says the
Junior division, up to 12 years old.
UncMHf Faming, Saturday, OetoMr 7,IWW
is a very active group with 25
members. The parent organiza
tions provide several scholarships
for youth pursuing their license.
But while Aileen concentrates
on her new duties as secretary, her
son at Nine Oaks has something
else in mind—extending the
length their 1,200-foot airstrip.
Do Teen-agers Need
Parents As Much As
Children Need Them?
Do teens need parents as much
as younger children do? One of
the more alarming trends seen by
professionals in the field of ado
lescent development is the number
of teenagers who are left to their
own devices to raise themselves,
although they still live at home
with their parents. We wouldn't
purposely let our children become
chronic underachievers in school
or diet to the point of anorexia but
in our hectic lives we sometimes
forget: Teens need their parents
every bit as much as younger
children to. Teens can fool us
sometimes by talking a good
game, but they are neighter emo
tionally nor physically mature
enough to care for themselves.
The teen years are full of
change and can be scary. During
this time they need much nurtur
ing and attention.-Here are some
ways to “be there” for your teens:
•Be available. Being just physi
cally present isn’t enough. Be a
good listener, show interest in
what’s going on in their lives.
Become as “askable parent” so
your teens will be able to come to
you when needed.
•Keep your problesm to your
self. Don’t put adult problesm on
adolescents. They have enough
problesm. Parents who use their
children as confidants, rob child
ren of their childhood.
•Be nurturing, both verbally
and physically. Often we think our
kids know we love them but the
words “I love you” can’t be spo-
secretary Alleen Homan stands In
Elwood, have received over time.
After all. he reasons, a secretary of
an international organization
should have a longer runway!
For more information about
these organizations, contact Ail
een Homan at 5190 West White
hall Road, Pennsylvania Furance,
PA 16865.
ken too often. The same holds true
for a hug or even a tuck-up in bed.
“Have you hugged your child
today” applies to teenagers, too.
•Be companionable—studies
show that teens want to spend time
together as a family even though
they begin to spend more and
more time away from home.
Extend an invitation to your teen
to do something together. Some
times all a kid is waiting for is to
be asked.
•Don’t assume the other adults
in your teenager’s life will cue you
in. Teens may confide in parents
of their friends but don’t assume
these parents will give you the
scoop. Too often parents fear los
ing their children’s confidence so
much that they won’t pass infor
mation on to other parents.
•Be alert Pay attention to any
discrepancy between what a teen
says and what they do or how they
look. Changes in physical appear
ance can be early warning signs of
disrupted sleep, unhealthy eating
patterns or the use of alcohol and
other drugs. Don’t ignor what’s
right before your eyes.
•Intervene when necessary. If
you suspect your child is making
choices that are harmful to them
selves, let them know you know
and get help.
•Passivity (yours and theirs)
can be the most damaging of all.
Teenagers don’t have the resour
ces to help themselves. You may
need to seek professional help.