Minutes
May 12, 2007
It’s hard to deter Heisey folks from their mission. Despite flooding unseen since 1993, 15 Great Plains Heisey Club members found ways to circumvent the closed roads and make it to Leavenworth on May 12. Jean Will hosted the event at her home and started everyone off in the proper mood by filling them with Kansas City barbeque and all the trimmings.
President Bucky Will opened the meeting by requesting the Treasurer’s report from Tom Files. Tom reported a treasury balance of $976.79. There was no old business so discussion occurred on new fund raiser ideas. Some members felt the 50-50 auctions had served as an excellent way to raise money in the past but a fresh method should be pursued. The group approved a pass-the-basket donation idea. A recommended donation of $5.00 per attendee would be made at each meeting to build the treasury (and higher donation amounts would not be turned down). The host of each meeting would be exempted. It was also suggested that some meetings become potluck affairs to reduce the burden on the meeting host. The first test of the basket passing netted $65 for the treasury. It was noted members could still contribute items for sale on a 50-50 basis from time to time if they so desired.
Discussion turned to the 2007 Heisey convention and contributions to be made by our club. Instead of donating $50 cash to help defray costs in the Hospitality Room as in past years, Mary Cameron agreed to purchase specific items to serve guests and to transport those items to the Museum during convention week. Mary felt she could limit the club expense to the $50 range since she was optimistic she could persuade a local university to assist with the donation (go Cyclones!). Shelby and Gary Corey generously agreed to donate a 19 inch candelabra complete with bobeches and prisms for the blind auction to be held during the convention. Jean Will advised she planned to personally provide a centerpiece to be auctioned at the convention banquet. She suggested requesting other study clubs and individuals to provide centerpieces or donations for this HCA fund raiser. Our members approved an additional $100 contribution to help with this event. Since it is the purpose of each study club to support the national organization, a donation of $750 was approved for presentation at the convention. It was noted these contributions are in addition to the $7,400+ raised for HCA by the Great Plains Club at the Percy Moore weekend in October, 2006.
Discussion about voting memberships was the next item on the agenda. Several members expressed displeasure with the present system on requiring a one-time $25 fee in order to be a voting member of HCA. It was felt that voting privileges should be extended to all current dues-paying members of HCA. Each member was requested to express their opinions to HCA Board Members to see if a change to the by-laws could be enacted. A discussion on prospective Board Members to be elected in June resulted and President Bucky Will was selected to cast our club vote.
Tom and Kathy Files briefly reviewed the Heisey display they prepared for the Depression Glass Show in Independence, MO in March. Many HCA and Great Plains Club brochures were distributed and hopefully some new members were recruited.
The following meetings were confirmed for the remainder of 2007:
July 7 - 12:30 Lunch - Camerons - Ames, IA - Program: Heisey Reference Books
Sep. 15 - 12:30 Lunch - Coreys - Overland Park, KS - Program: Favorite Piece
Nov. 10 - 12:30 Lunch - Glen Gall - Urbandale, IA - Program: TBD
The program for the meeting was Heisey colognes. Jean Will presented a handout showing all the colognes produced by Heisey including interesting facts about each item. Jean and other club members displayed examples of the different colognes. It was quite an impressive array, especially considering the different cuttings on many of the pieces.
Show and Tell followed and, as usual, the GPHC members had been busy buyers. A few of the items shown were: Octagon platter in Flamingo with Empress Etch, Decagon nappy in Flamingo, Empress two handled sandwich plate in Alexandrite, Geese wings up and wings half, Rooster vase, Victorian salt and pepper, Continental tall footed compote, Jamestown bell, Banded Flute punch bowl and base, Windsor 11 inch candlesticks, #1 clear Madonna, Fandango horseradish with gold trim, Plantation oblong butter, Medium Flat Panel stack cream, sugar, and butter pat in Flamingo, Ipswich cream and sugar sets in Flamingo and Sahara, 8 Ridgeleigh salts in original box, New Era stems and cordial, Greek Key individual almond, and Heisey ads from 1940's and 1950's magazines.
The meeting was adjourned but only to eat again. Shortcake with fresh strawberries topped off the day. Some members lingered to view or talk Heisey and eventually left to navigate home around the flooded roads.