VANDALIA — It may not sound like your usual summer vacation destination, but mid-June is a sweet time to be at the Dayton International Airport for Mike McRill.
The Community Resource Officer for the Sidney Police Department spends a week each summer volunteering at the Dayton Air Show, where he works with the media committee.
Utilizing his background as a police officer and educator – McRill was a teacher for 12-1/2 years before joining the Sidney PD in 2000 – the Sidney resident said he enjoys playing a part in making sure the annual air show runs smoothly.
Which means he may be asked to do “just about anything,” said Shiela Wallace, Media Committee Chairperson.
“Mike is willing to do anything we need, no matter how big or how small. He’s a very hard worker and very dependable,” she said. “Mike helps with transportation, media rides and interviews – everything we ask him to do – and he’s been a true asset to the media committee.”
Thursday he was at the wheel of a golf cart helping corral and transport about 20 journalists – print, television and web – to and from the flight line where the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor pilot and crew gave interviews.
“I enjoy being behind the scenes,” said McRill, who recently was honored as SPD’s 2016 Officer of the Year. “I get to be up close and personal with the planes and the pilots – places where the average person doesn’t get to go – and I enjoy that.”
Although he’s always had an interest in airplanes, it wasn’t until his longtime friend and fellow Sidney Police Officer Matt Kleinhans urged him to get involved that he considered volunteering at the air show.
“I got into this because of Matt,” McRill said. “We’ve been friends since sixth grade and we went to the air show together when we were kids … and we’ve always enjoyed airplanes. Back in 2009 they said they needed someone to help with the pyrotechnics (for the air show) – someone with military or police experience – and I had that. Then the year after that I started working with the media team, so I’ve been doing this ever since.”
While air show patrons crane their necks skyward to take in the dazzling aerobatics overhead, McRill and his fellow volunteers make sure media covering the event get to where they need to be – safely, on time and within Federal Aviation Administration guidelines. It can get a bit hectic at times, but that “behind the scenes” work McRill mentioned has turned into a labor of love.
It helps having a tight-knit group of fellow volunteers on board, many of whom have been helping for several years, said McRill, whose wife Karen and daughter Heidi joined the volunteer crew three years ago.
“My wife is in charge of the golf carts and the radios – we call her the Queen of Carts – and Heidi helps out along with Matt’s daughter,” he said. “We all get together when it’s all over, and we try to get together a couple of times a year. It’s just a good group of people who love airplanes and love getting together at the air show. There’s a real family feel to it.”
Which will certainly help when it comes to deciding where they’ll spend vacation time next year …
The Dayton Air Show runs today and tomorrow at Dayton International Airport in Vandalia. For ticket information, parking details or information about performers and static aircraft displays, visit www.daytonairshow.com.
