Minutes
March 11, 2023
Kansas City, MO! Home of the Kansas City Chiefs – Super Bowl LVII Champions! (In case no one noticed). Also home of Chris & Lehi German, hosts of our first 2023 Great Plains Heisey Club meeting. On a chilly, drizzly day our hosts provided a warm welcome and a wonderful lunch of numerous smoked meats and side dishes. As a KC 'cue champ, Lehi excelled at controlling the smoker packed full of brisket, ribs, burnt ends, pork, chicken, and salmon – all so delicious. Thanks also to their friends Dave and Marty for serving and cleaning up.
President John Mock called for order to convene the meeting after the sumptuous meal. He welcomed the 20 attendees plus 4 'Zoom' members, including new member James Warren. We don't usually 'Zoom' our meetings but GPHC and HCA board member Caleb-Michael Files was in attendance and ably provided tech service.
Our current officers were re-elected for another year. Tom Files gave our Treasurer's report and my minutes from the previous meeting were approved. Eric Tankesley-Clarke agreed to continue as our Program Director. We all benefit greatly from his well-researched programs.
After raffle tickets were sold, we had brief discussions about the Spring auctions and HCA Convention plans/events known at this time. Trudy Mock presented her “Martha Moment” showing a Heisey pitcher with damage that she used for displaying a Shamrock plant. She coiled a green ribbon as she filled in the soil, letting the green show for St. Patrick's day. Quite a unique centerpiece!
Eric presented a program on Heisey bar glasses from a table brimming with examples and a helpful hand-out with pictures. Who knew there were so many – and with so many etchings/cuttings. Some other maker look-a-likes were shown to help our searches in the wild. Thanks for another great program Eric.
Trudy Mock discussed the need for Convention table display volunteers and explained the theme – Heisey Colors. Everyone is looking forward to seeing the innovative displays – and this year at the entrance of the show at the ice arena.
Chris German won the raffle box of treasures provided by Jean Will. We also held a 50/50 auction of great donated Heisey pieces and sold Jean's tasty jellies. Thank you Jean for your years of contributions to GPHC and HCA.
Show & Tell provided a visual treat of beautiful and unusual Heisey pieces: Steele rose bowl and Cathedral vase, both w/Arctic etching; Wide Flat Panel 16 oz. lavender jar w/#329 etching; Hepplewhite 9” candlestick w/#332 etching; Ridgeleigh hotel cream & sugar (rework of the #355 Quator hotel size molds); Swan; Show Horse; Fluted Diamond Foot 8” comport with cranberry stain; Aloof claret w/Iroquois etching; Park Lane goblet w/Honolulu cutting; Old Williamsburg candlestick on bust-off; #588 soda w/Pepsi Cola acid stamp; Twist oval cream & sugar w/rarely seen cover/Sahara. We adjourned for desserts of chocolate bundt cake, pie, brownies, and chocolate chip cookies provided by club members. All were delicious – I sampled them all and enjoyed each one.
Thanks to Chris and Lehi for being great hosts – a wonderful start to our new year of gatherings. Our next meeting will be May 13, 2023 at the Cameron's in Ankeny, Iowa.