A Review of the Year
by Brian Pitman, December 2012
Each December, the ICGA Pump is filled with a positive message about the year, our members, the previous convention, and plans for the future. This year, we really wanted to make an extra effort to spread the cheer of the season, and so we bring you this special holiday-themed issue. You will find articles about Christmas and Hanukkah-related pieces and patterns, some memories and more. I hope you enjoy it.
We recently lost a huge ICGA personality in Carl Schroeder. Carl, a former president of ICGA and one of the association’s biggest fans in the past four decades, was someone who always found a way to make you smile and be glad you were involved in collecting carnival glass. If you were to meet someone in your early years of collecting that would reinforce your decision to collect in the first place, it was almost always Carl. Carl was friendly, knowledgeable and someone who made you glad you decided to collect carnival glass. His guidance and devotion to ICGA is going to be missed for a very long time.
Overall, this was a very good year for ICGA. Lots of carnival glass clubs lost a bunch of members this year, but our membership did pretty well. We had one heck of a convention that helped the club and gave everyone a really good and educational time. We saw the retirement of some of our finest officers who had served for many decades, so that they may relax and enjoy the club from a member’s perspective. We launched the new ICGA Pump in full color with the purpose of bringing more value to your membership. We are adding more and more features and articles to our website. All in all, ICGA realizes that there are many carnival glass clubs for you to choose from when you look to an association that educates and provides news and great information, and we simply strive to be your best choice. I think this year was a great step forward in bringing you more.
As we look to 2013, many things excite me when it comes to ICGA. We are planning the convention in St. Louis, which will feature a fantastic Imperial Vase display, a great auction, and many more wonderful surprises for you. With an enormous convention earlier this year, we are looking to do more of the same while adding in some very nice touches to make you very happy you attended!
The ICGA Pump is only going to get better. Barb Chamberlain has been working very hard to “amp up” the articles you will be seeing, the great photos we will be bringing, and ways to make it even better. There is a very good team behind each issue of The Pump (including all of you who contribute some amazing articles!), and that team will continue to produce the best newsletter in all of carnival glass!!
And so, I leave you with visions of sugar plums dancing in your head, a warm fire in your fireplace, the sound of bells and reindeer on your roof and hopefully the happiness and pride you feel for being a treasured member of ICGA. Your membership is the greatest present any club could ever enjoy, and we certainly enjoy you!
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and have a Great New Year!!
Brian