Ralph Ziegenbein (W8PLP) and Don Devendorf
(W8EGI), circa 1955. Don brought this photo to each Ladies' Night for the
past several years and now, thanks to Don's Family, we will keep that tradition
alive, with a beautifully scanned copy, which is ready for this year's Ladies'
Night. If you want a copy of this photo, contact Erv (W8ERV) and he can
get one for you. There is much history in this photo and it is the only
photo we have of Ziegenbein, too. A BIG thank you to the Devendorf Family
for their help in preserving a piece of CMARC history for future generations...
SEND YOUR NOMINATIONS TO:
Your Mailing Label should look like this:
Ronald S Harger
5685 W Columbia Rd
Mason, MI 48854
USA
ATTN: Ziegenbein Nomination
OR
Email to: Ron Harger WD8BCS - rharger@wowway.com
CRITERIA:
The final Chapter in this story, and one that is still being written today, was the creation of the Ziegenbein Award. This award is presented each May to the Full CMARC member who has contributed the most to Amateur Radio, in general and CMARC, in particular for the previous calendar year. The Ziegenbein Committee consists of recipients of the award for the previous three years.
| Ziegenbein Nomination Guidelines 1. The recipient must be a full, current member of CMARC 2. Nominations to be made in writing, in your own words, no chain letters to be accepted, stating nominees contributions to CMARC and Amateur Radio. 3. All nominations are to be kept secret until award is presented. 4. All nominations are to be mailed. 5. The same person can receive the award more than once. 6. The Committee shall consist of the last three recipients; the senior member shall be the chairman. 7. All nominations are to be closely checked and discussed by the Committee. 8. If the Committee feels the nominees are not deserving, the award does not have to be given. 9. Nominations are to be submitted before March 15th of each year, so the Committee can make the selection and have the plaque engraved. 10. The recipient will be announced at the annual Ladies' Night. |
Ladies Night / Ziegenbein Award Banquet
The night the Ziegenbien Award is presented along with some great food. This usually takes place the 2nd Friday of May with orders due in April.
Click here for more information on the 2013 Award Banquet
2011 Recipient Don McLain, KB8RAD
CMARC Members,
It is with great pleasure that I am able to announce this years Ziegenbein Award winner, Donald McLain KB8RAD!!! As you all know, Mr. McLain not only serves as the Vice President of the Central Michigan Amateur Radio Club, but is an active member of this community, constantly promoting for other's enjoyment! Please take a second to recognize all of the positions he fills in our Community:
- CMARC’s “Vice President” and has been a Director on the Board for years
- CMARC’s “Club Contact Person”
- CMARC’s “New Ham Ambassador”
- CMARC’s “Youth Liaison”
- A Director on LCDRA’s Board
- A certified SKYWARN Spotter
- A RACES-certified member of the Lansing/Ingham ARPSC
- Assistant Emergency Coordinator of the Lansing/Ingham ARPSC
- The Contact Person for the “Ingham County VE Group”
- An active Volunteer Examiner for the “Ingham County VE Group” (for years)
- A backup Volunteer Examiner for the “Eaton County VE Team” (for years)
- Coordinator for the “Lansing/Ingham ARPSC Training Net”
- Founder and Net Control Operator for the “Mid-Michigan Information Net”
- Founder and Net Control Operator for the “Breakfast Club Net” (100+ hours a month)
- Founder and Librarian of “RAD’s Lending Library”
- Founder and Host of “RAD’s Coffee Break” for over 4 ½ years
- An Elmer for the Ham Radio and Scanning Hobbies
I have to give credit in helping list everything Don does for the community to his lovely wife Julie McLain KB8ZXR. Don fills many crucial roles to our constantly growing Club and Community, many of which do not obtain a title, and Julie is the only person who truly sees the countless hours he spends DAY AND NIGHT for our benefit. Don's love of this hobby has inspired many to get their licenses, use their privileges, and go on to be active volunteers. This year's Ziegenbein Committee has done an excellent job in selecting Don as the 2011 recipient, who certainly upholds the fine example Ralph Ziegebein put in place for us all, many years ago. I pass along my most sincere THANK YOU to Don for everything he has done for me personally as a friend and fellow member of this Ham Community. If you have the chance, PLEASE pass along a congratulations to Don by sending him an email at kb8rad@arrl.net OR calling him at 517-694-0812. I know he would not mind me giving this information out, because most of you probably already have it, as he gives it out daily so that anyone within earshot knows they have a friend to turn to for information and a kind caring heart.
If you weren't able to make this year's Ladies' Night/Ziegenbein Award Banquet you truly missed out! Julie McLain KB8ZXR arranged everything for tonight's event and did a FANTASTIC job! We've had what I believe is the highest attendance in the past several years, and some of our seasoned members tell me it may even be the most ever, with 64 guests in attendance. The food at the Delhi Cafe was fantastic, and all who attended were in great spirits. I can't go without thanking our INCREDIBLE entertainment, "Last Call". Performers Chuck and Vivian Grinell who often spend months in Las Vegas at show venues, ended our evening with a wide variety of music ranging from modern, country, blues, rock, and oldies! They helped set the tone for the very successful evening that it was. I hope you all will join us next year! Look for pictures and further description of the Banquet on the CMARC website (centralmiarc.com) in the coming days.
Thanks and 73!
CMARC President
2010 Recipient Bob Berger, K8RDN
Bob Berger K8RDN was honored as the 2010 Ziegenbein award winner! Bob served for several years on the Board of CMARC and specifically worked as the Vice President. He has been actively involved in local, state, and regional traffics nets, helping hams be prepared for emergency traffic handeling. We thank Bob for his service to the hobby, and to CMARC and are honored to announce he is now part of a historic group of Ziegenbein winners. Pictures of the event will be available soon!
2009 Recipient Ronald Harger, WD8BCS
Ron Harger (WD8BCS) was honored at the Annual Ladies' Night/Ziegenbein
Banquet. There was a large turnout for the dinner and the room erupted into
applause when Ron's name was revealed. Shortly thereafter, his Father Dan
(W8BCI) posed for this photo with his son. It was nearly 45 years ago to
the day that Dan was honored, making Ron the first second generation Ziegenbein
Recipient in the history of the award. Congratulations, Ron! Well done...
2008 Recipient Richard McGuire, KI8C
Richard McGuire (KI8C) is congratulated by the 2008 Ziegenbein Recipient, Roger Barnhill (AB8RX) at the June, 2009 CMARC meeting. Dick wasn't present at the Ladies' Night celebration, which necessitated a CMARC presentation, but we were ALL pleased to know that Dick got it.WAY TO GO, Dick!
2007 Recipient Roger Barnhill, AB8RX
Roger Barnhill (AB8RX) receives the 2007 Ziegenbein Award
from Pam Denomme (KB8PSF) at the Annual Ladies' Night Banquet on Saturday,
May 2, 2008. CONGRATULATIONS, Roger!
Who Was Ralph Ziegenbein (W8PLP) ?
Some members wonder for months, or even years about the annual award CMARC bestows on its most active and contributive member. Some even struggle with the pronounciation of the award's name, but after reading this bit of information, you can amaze your friends and relatives with the story...and the man behind it.
Ralph Ziegenbein (pronounced Zig-en-bine) held Amateur Callsign W8PLP. He was popular barber in the Lansing area, with a shop located on Michigan Avenue, near Clemens and made a large impact on our Club. "He would ask if you were a Ham when you came into his shop", said longtime CMARC member, Currin Skutt (W8FSZ). "If you said yes, he would open a drawer and hand you a QST, if you said no, he would direct you to the magazines on the table."
There is little information on the man known affectionately as "Mr. Ham Radio" and he has no Family in the area, according to Currin Skutt, but he is remembered as the man who spearheaded the push to bring the Novice Class license to Amateur Radio. According to Currin, Ziegenbein came up with the idea, sent it to the Club Secretary and had it typed up for submission to the ARRL. "The League took it from there", Skutt remembered and Amateur Radio added the Novice Class to its list.
Ziegenbein was among the last of the sparkgap users in the Lansing area. Currin tells a story about how Ralph's transmitter would weld the electric meter when he used his transmitter, which caused some problems with the electric company. A man of good humor, Skutt also told of Ziegenbein's homespun phonetics. "He called himself a modular fruit stand", said Skutt. "Peaches, Lemons and Prunes".
W8PLP assured himself a place in the hearts of CMARC members of that day. Currin shared that Ziegenbein was a "man of his word. If he told you he would do something, you could expect a report on it at the next meeting". His dedication to the Hobby was apparent and Skutt also said the Lansing barber never missed a meeting.
A member of the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA), Ziegenbein was traveling to the Upper Peninsula for a meeting in 1960 when he and his wife were involved in a terrible auto accident near Houghton Lake, Michigan. Ziegenbein died in the accident, but his wife was taken to a Grayling hospital with injuries.
Following his death, Currin tells that a group of Hams known as "The Lush Wells" (all CMARC members) decided to preserve Ziegenbein's callsign, "If not for the Club, then for a worthy organization." After navigating a sea of red tape, the group's efforts were rewarded and W8PLP was issued to CMARC for the station at the American Red Cross, Lansing Chapter shortly thereafter.
The final Chapter in this story, and one that is still being written today, was the creation of the Ziegenbein Award. This award is presented each May to the Full CMARC member who has contributed the most to Amateur Radio, in general and CMARC, in particular for the previous calendar year. The Ziegenbein Committee consists of recipients of the award for the previous three years.
Below is a list of all previous Ziegenbein Award Winners
| Year | Winner | Year | Winner | |
| 2012 | ??? | 2011 | Donald McLain KB8RAD |
|
| 2010 | Bob Berger K8RDN | 2009 | Ronald Harger WD8BCS |
|
| 2008 | Richard McGuire KI8C |
2007 | Roger Barnhill AB8RX | |
| 2006 | DeAnna Barnhill KD8BDI | 2005 | Don De Feyter KC8CY | |
| 2004 | Joe Denomme N8VYS | 2003 | Gregg Mulder WB8LZG | |
| 2002 | Jaymes Kenyon KC8DJH | 2001 | Mark Humphreys N8DEF (SK) | |
| 2000 | J. Ervin Bates W8ERV | 1999 | Pam Denomme KB8PSF | |
| 1998 | Julie McLain KB8ZXR | 1997 | Roy Uchigashima N8GAQ | |
| 1996 | Pete Elrod N8EST (SK) | 1995 | Don Cote KD8BD | |
| 1994 | Dick Pennington W8SFA (SK) | 1993 | Dick Thomas W8VJC (SK) | |
| 1992 | Ken Kruger W8AAX | 1991 | Bill Chapman W8TJQ (SK) | |
| 1990 | Don Devendorf W8EGI (SK) | 1989 | Inez Pearson KY8V | |
| 1988 | George Wood K8GHX (SK) | 1987 | Don Tillitson WB8NUS | |
| 1986 | Marion Stoner W8VWY (SK) | 1985 | John Hewitt K8DHN (SK) | |
| 1984 | Rowena Elrod KA8OBS (SK) | 1983 | Linda Haigh KA8HHA | |
| 1982 | Jere Haigh WA8BAP | 1981 | Harold Mahlke W8QG (SK) | |
| 1980 | Beverley Stoner K8ZJU | 1979 | Lee Hamilton K8CDM (SK) | |
| 1978 | Dale Moore K8YRD | 1977 | Larry Alman WA8QCW | |
| 1976 | Lloyd Brox K8ZKM (SK) | 1975 | George Croze K8VKX (SK) | |
| 1974 | Carl Hunsaker K8ILF (SK) | 1973 | Lyle Brooks W8TIJ (SK) | |
| 1972 | John Sheldon WA8MVH (SK) | 1971 | Mert Henry K8ETU (SK) | |
| 1970 | Wally Beck W8QQL (SK) | 1969 | Harold Bell WA8LAY (SK) | |
| 1968 | Duane Cross K8ATU | 1967 | Dick Kelly K8BZV (SK) | |
| 1966 | Ben Hassell W8VPC (SK) | 1965 | Dan Harger W8BCI (SK) | |
| 1964 | Don Rickerd W8BQD | 1963 | Pete Gossett W8CKK (SK) | |
| 1962 | Currin Skutt W8FSZ | 1961 | Gordon Maine W8OCK (SK) |