General

It's getting to be that time again - meaning I've run out of room to store all of the rocketry-related donations CMASS has received since our last Bill Spadafora Memorial Fund Auction in 2024 - and considering I have stuff stored in my house, garage, and barn... that's a lot of stuff! So, the next Spadafora Auction, all proceeds go to support local ARC teams and schools using rocketry as part of their curriculum, will be coming soon - sometime at the end of May!

But don't let the fact that I cannot store more stuff fret you! If you have recently been diagnosed with STABLE (STash Accumulated Beyond Life Expectancy), we are here to help! You can still donate your 'stash' to CMASS for the upcoming auction. Just bring your stuff to one of the upcoming CMASS launches and look for me. I'll take them off your hands, and ease your pain. And if that doesn't work for you, contact me and we can make arrangements for me to pick up your stuff.

Much Thanks!

The CMASS STABLE Support Group will be meeting at the Acton launch tomorrow. If you need to reduce your stash, bring it tomorrow and I'll take it off your hands.

We are here to help.

Thanks.

I would say now is the "end of May." Any updates?

Andrew

Man must rise above the earth, to the top of the atmosphere and beyond, for only thus shall he truly understand the world in which he lives. Socrates ~ 400 BC

I think I can get everything up and running by the 31st. So, let's say the 'near end' of May.

The Bill Spadafora Memorial Fund Auction is live.

Here is everything you need to know.

1. All of the items in the auction have been generously donated to CMASS by CMASS members, former members, and just rocketry enthusiasts in the New England Area. We are very grateful to all that have donated their rocketry history to us. All proceeds from the Auction will go to support local ARC teams and other educational activities that involve rocketry.

2. The auction is set up as a Forum - ‘Spadafora 2026 Memorial Auction’ - found in the Forum section of the CMASS web site. Each item in the auction is a thread on the forum, listed alphabetically by category. Sorting the Forum by Title will keep all of the items in their respective categories.

3. The title of the thread states what the item is. Each thread has a picture of the item, necessary descriptions, and an opening bid amount. To make a bid, merely reply to the thread with your bid. Please include the $ sign with your bid. Only whole dollar amount bids will be accepted.

4. Bidding will end June 7; 9:00 pm. No bids will be accepted after that time.

5. Winners will NOT be notified of their winning bids. You can figure that out for yourselves.

6. Winners can pick up their item(s) at a CMASS launch or at my house (West Newbury, MA). If you want to pick up your item(s) at a CMASS launch, please e-mail me a few days in advance. If you want to pick up your item(s) at my house, please e-mail me to make arrangements. In your e-mail, please list the items you have won and will want to pick up.

7. Payment is due at pickup. CMASS can accept cash, check (made to CMASS), or Zelle. All sales are final (i.e. no refunds).

8. Motors and launch equipment (Estes, Quest, and scratch-built) will not be part of the auction. More on that later.

9. Have fun!

There has been some good activity on the Auction forum so far with several initial bids, and that’s great! Thanks to every one!

However, there are a number of desirable items, some new and even some in their original packaging, that still have no initial bids. The opening bids for those items are, in many cases, just under the MSRP; because I could not, in good conscience, accept much less than that for those items. Even so, considering taxes and shipping, they are a bargain! Those items will probably go with their initial bid. So, don’t wait. Get that bid in now!

To paraphrase that old Chicago saying:

Bid early and bid often!

Thanks!

There is a little over 24 hours left in the auction - bidding ends 9:00 pm tomorrow. There has been a lot of bids so far and I thank everyone who has made a bid. However, there are still plenty of items left. 

In particular - two assembled rockets: Madcow Adventurer (opening bid $100) and Flames (opening bid $75). The Adventurer kit lists for $329; the Flames rocket is a scratch built. Both have Aeropack retainers, full AV bays, and both constructed by Boris Katan. For those that knew and remember Boris, you then know that these are very well built and very well finished rockets. If they don’t go in the auction, I will offer them for sale (along with other auction items) at later launches this season. However, the sale price will be significantly higher than the opening bid price listed now.

So if you have been thinking about either of these rockets, or any other item - don’t think too long!

Be awesome to see Boris come back to Amesbury with his clusters.

The Spadafora 2026 auction has ended and the forum is now in a view only mode. All of the items can still be seen; but no further bids can be made. I'll put together a list of winners, their items and amount owed over the next few days.

If you would like to pick up your items at the upcoming launch, e-mail me (claudevmaina@gmail.com) and please include a list of your items and total amount (just as a double check on my list). Payment is due at pickup; CMASS accepts cash, check (made to CMASS) and Zelle.

Thanks to all!

Claude, Thank you so much for all your hard work putting this together! Much appreciated.

Andrew

Man must rise above the earth, to the top of the atmosphere and beyond, for only thus shall he truly understand the world in which he lives. Socrates ~ 400 BC

The Bill Spadafora Memorial Fund Auction 2026 has come to a close. We had over $1900 in pledges and sold over 60 items. I call that a success! And I want to thank everyone who made a bid (successful or not) and thank everyone who helped out along the way.

I especially want to thank Todd Lainhart. Todd set up the auction forum and was a constant help to me as I muddled through the process of putting this together. The auction simply would not have happened without Todd's help. Many, many thanks!

Some auction winners have already contacted me and I will be bringing those items to the upcoming launch this Sunday. I will also be bringing motors for sale, also to benefit the Spadafora Fund. More on that to come.

Thanks.

If you've contacted or spoken to me already, I'll be bringing your auction items to the launch this Saturday. If you haven't and want to pick them up, let me know.

I'll also be bringing motors again for sale. A lot of motors were taken at the last launch but there are still plenty left!

Thanks.