Highland County Amateur Radio Association honors memory of Tom Archibald

By John Levo
Highland County Amateur Radio Association

The Highland County amateur radio community recently lost a member and dear friend, Tom Archibald, K8TDA. Tom was one of those quiet people who would do anything for another person, even if they had just met.

During the services, the minister stated Tom’s favorite charity was the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Ministry. At Christmas time, this program provides shoeboxes filled with items that children, 14 and under living in developing nations around the globe, can use or enjoy.

However, Archibald discovered the older boys receiving a shoebox often didn’t receive something they could use after the sparkle of Christmas was past. He took it upon himself to purchase hammers to insert into the boxes designated for an older boy.

That story touched his fellow Highland Amateur Radio Association members, who then voted to continue Tom’s hammer purchases in his memory. They pledged to raise enough funds to provide hammers to 30 shoeboxes.  

Through HARA members and the generosity of others who know “Arch,” they have raised sufficient funds to not only fill the original 30 boxes, but are close to doubling their goal.  

Because of the overwhelming support, HARA also decided to place a metric tape measure, a roll of duct tape and a six point screwdriver in each box to accompany the hammer.

The Highland Amateur Radio Association is a group of approximately 100 Highland County residents who have Federal Communications Commission issued amateur radio licenses and have an interest in electronics, worldwide communications and emergency communications service through amateur radio.  

Information about HARA and ham radio is available by contacting the Club at www.highlandara@gmail.com or 937-393-4951. You can also find amateur radio information at the American Radio Relay League’s www.arrl.org website.