Pyramid 56ers

Happy Fall Everyone,

I hope everyone is getting in the spirit of the fall season from enjoying the cooler weather, to being outside, and just plain old getting ready for the holiday season. It’s so hard to believe that Christmas is right around the corner.

Our next meeting is Saturday October 15^th. We will have our Annual Road Trip. This year we are traveling back to A Very Merry Christmas Store in Conway Arkansas for our trip. The store is great with lots of Dept. 56 and many other Holiday Items. They expanded the store last year and picked up a lot more space. There will be a lot of things to see and buy and the staff is always a delight and very welcoming.

The August meeting was held at Barb and Gerald’s on Saturday August 19^th. As always Barb had lots of great things to eat and Gerald made homemade ice cream. Our meeting consisted of going through the set up the new display we will be doing at Kirby Pines. Gerald and his brother have put together a great display table that is going to be great for the new display. If you have any pieces for the displays can you please make sure you bring them to the October meeting. One note is that we need trees of all sizes. I have scouted the stores in my spare time and it looks like Home Depot has the best price. A bag of 21 assorted size trees is $6.99. If you want to donate please do. We will be placing the North Pole Display this year at the Wesley Meadows Retirement Home in Hernando.

The October meeting is the last time to purchase Tickets for the raffle piece for this year. The money will go to pay for the supplies for the new Christmas in the City display. You can read more about that in the newsletter. The tickets are $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00 we will sell tickets at the October meeting.

We added another Road Trip this year and it will be Saturday, November 12^th. We will meet at Nancy Herrmann’s for breakfast and then head to Charlene’s in Hall’s TN. Everyone enjoyed this so much last year that they wanted to do it again. We all know how much the girls love to shop.

See you soon…

Jeffery

Mark Your Calendars:

October Meeting: November Road Trip: December Meeting:

Saturday October 15^th, 2011 Saturday November 12^thSaturday Dec. 3^rd, 4:30 p.m.

The club will be traveling to Road Trip to Charlene’s in Hall’s, TN. Jeffery’s & The Collier’s

a Very Merry Christmas store We will meet for breakfast at Nancy Herrmann’s Open house at Jeffery’s and then move to

in Conway Arkansas. and then travel to Halls for a day of Shopping. the Collier’s for Holiday Dinner and Gift Exchange

President: Jeffery Kirchner

Vice President: Russ Gorby

Secretary: Barbara Frazier

Treasurer: Jayne Gorby

Website: Alinda Norris

Newsletter: Jeffery Kirchner

TWO Display Set Ups This Year!!!

I am excited to announce that the club is doing two displays this year for others in need. Please mark your calendars as we have set aside Saturday November 19^th as the set up for the two displays we are doing. We will begin at 9:00 am at Kirby Pines and complete the new Christmas in the City display, have lunch and then set up the North Pole display at Wesley Meadows Retirement Home in Hernando.

Please come prepared to help as the quicker we can get it done the quicker we can get home.

This is a great opportunity for us to showcase our club and to have an opportunity to share the love we have for our villages with others at a very special time of year.

2010 Display at Kirby Pines

Club Raffle

The October Meeting is the last time to purchase tickets for the Tower of London Display Piece. The money use is going to buy supplies for the new Christmas in the City display. Tickets are $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00.

We will hold the raffle at the October Meeting.

NCC Corner… by Barbara Frazier

The National Council of 56 Clubs (NCC) is an umbrella organization for independently organized and operated collector clubs throughout the United States and Canada. The purpose of the NCC is to promote Department 56 member clubs, cultivate cooperation among member clubs, facilitate the exchange of information between member clubs, assist in the formation of new clubs, and stimulate the presentation of collector events and gatherings.

NCC Collector of the Year:

Melinda Seeger’s from Department 56 announced the NCC Collector of the Year at the Arizona gathering last month.

Please see a separate article on this.

Gatherings:

2012: My Kind of Town Chicago:

Gathering to be held in Rosemont , IL
September 21 - 23, 2012

The only gathering in 2012 will be in the fall in Chicago. It is still in the works and will be but on by several of the Illinois Village Clubs.

They will send out more details as they emerge.

The NCC website is a great source of information so be sure to check it out at the following link.

NCC website www.ncc56.com

Collectors Corner of Department 56: www.department56.com

New Village Blog:

http://www.christmasvillagefun.blogspot.com/

I just wanted to let you know that there is a new Department 56 blog that is quite interesting. It talks about of lot of things and there are lot of interesting stories and articles about so many things related to village collecting.

Please be sure to check it out.

Door Prize Winners:

June Meeting

Annaree Carter:

Guess your Weight

Barbara Frazier:

Frosty Light Sprays

Jayne Gorby:

SV Ornament

Pat Malone:

Uncle Sam Figure

Gerald Frazier:

Winter Trimmings

Department 56 Collector of the Year:

By Jeffery Kirchner:

At the Happy Trails Gathering last month, Melinda Seegers

The head of consumer services for Department 56 announced the 2011 Collector of the year as Bonnie Eichholtz of Fort Lauderdale, FL. I am so extremely excited as this is a very dear friend of mine and it could not happened to a nicer person. Bonnie’s displays are amazing and the pictures do not do them justice. Bonnie devotes a lot of time to her club, The Village Landlords and is always going above and beyond to make sure meetings go as planned, helping with the Toys for Tots campaign, spear heading the annual club picnic, helping get things ready for the annual display at the Ronald McDonald House and serving on the clubs board of directors in several positions along with many other tasks. She is truly a remarkable lady and I am so glad to not only know her as a fellow collector but most of all to call her my friend. Her passion for Dept. 56, helping others and spirit is an inspiration to everyone.

CONGRATULATIONS BONNIE WELL DESERVED!!!

BONNIE EICHHOLTZ WITH GRANDSON KIRBY

Still looking for New Members:

We are still looking for new members to join our club.

If you have any friends or family that might be interested in joining please let them know about our club.