Whereas, the State recognizes the services Amateur Radio operators provide to our many emergency response organizations, including FEMA, DHS, and Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management; and

Whereas, these same individuals have further demonstrated their value in public assistance by providing free radio communications for local parades, bike-a-thons, walk-a-thons, fairs and other charitable public events; and

Whereas, the State of Iowa recognizes and appreciates the diligence of these "hams" who also serve as weather spotters in the SKYWARN program of the National Weather Service; and

Whereas, Amateur Radio once again proved its undisputed relevance in the modern world in 2005 by providing emergency communications when other systems failed in the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the USA and in the tsunami catastrophe overseas; and

Whereas, these Amateur Radio services are provided wholly uncompensated; and

Whereas, the ARRL is the leading organization for Amateur Radio in the USA; and

Whereas, the ARRL Field Day exercise will take place on June 27-28, 2009 and is a 24-hour emergency encampment exercise and demonstration of the Radio Amateurs' skills and readiness to provide self-supporting communications even in fields without further infrastructure:

now, therefore, I, Chester J. Culver, Governor of the State of Iowa, do hereby proclaim the week of June 21-27, 2009 as Amateur Radio Week in Iowa.

Scott Haney NØGUD, right, accepts an Amateur Radio Week proclamation from Iowa Governor, Chet Culver.