The Gambrinus Stein Club met on Sunday, May 20, 2007, at the Golden Bull Restaurant in Gaithersburg. There were 17 members present. Russ Keiser, President, brought the meeting to order after a very pleasant time of members greeting and looking at sales tables. Russ noted that he had received a questionnaire from SCI concerning desires of the membership from that body. Dick Strom noted that there is an official effort to clean up the organization’s by-laws which will be voted upon at the convention in July. He has worked on this committee to help eliminate the inconsistencies and redundancy in the bylaws.
Judy Stuart mentioned that there may be an interest in having another Beer Stein College and it has been suggested that it be held in Springfield Massachusetts in September. Some members mentioned that they did not receive notices about these events. Judy offered to forward email addresses to Ron Fox and David Harr who seem to be garnering support for this possible next Beer Stein College.
Russ asked for a volunteer to chair the nominating committee who is to present a slate of officers for election at the February meeting. Since the next two Gambrinus meetings are special events, Russ thought that if the committee were formed now, they would have ample time to contact member as there may not be time to make contacts during these special meetings. No one volunteered to serve on the committee, but Mike Pembroke volunteered himself and his wife Linda to be officers. Even with these volunteers, the group felt that Russ should continue to work to put together a nominating committee.
The joint meeting with the Pennsylvania Keysteiners will be held in York, PA on Sept. 16. The meeting will be hosted by the Salzanos and Esteps in the historic York Women’s Club building. Eric Salzano purchased the building a year or two ago and several months ago a fire damaged a portion of the building. Eric is confident that restoration will be completed in time to hold the September meeting there. Steve Steigerwald will be the guest speaker. See details later in this newsletter for details, costs, and directions.
The Gambrinus 35th Anniversary meeting will be Sunday, November 11, 2007, at the Holiday Inn in Gaithersburg. Bill Weinig has chaired a committee putting the pieces together since the February club meeting. The other committee members are: Dick Strom, Russ Keiser, Steve Smith, Eric Koehler, Eric Salzano, Chris Schaefer, and Judy Stuart. Some of the details of the event will be:
• Many special invited guests
• Stein sales tables open throughout the whole event
• Quality member stein auction—silent bids and reserves allowed.
• Live German music and entertainment
• Luncheon with choice of beef, chicken, or seafood and a special dessert
• Speaker - David Harr Topic: pewter repair with demonstrations of strap attachments.
• History of Gambrinus Club and Recognition
• Cash bar
The total cost for the event will be $40.00 per person. Again, watch the Gambrinus Gazette for details, directions, times, and other details.
The retiring treasurer, Jim Sauer, was recognized for his work in this office. He and the new treasurer, Chris Schaefer gave the treasurers’ report of approximately $2700 in the two accounts—one in New Jersey and one in Maryland which will be combined now that the two treasurers have met and exchanged information. (note: since this was written, the NJ account has been closed entirely.)
Mike Pembroke brought a ‘Show and Tell’ item. He stated that he thought he had seen just about everything regarding steins but the one he brought was something new to him. It is a cobalt and white stein with the name F.A. Schwiller and Son, Cincinnati, Ohio on the bottom. At the top of the handle is a face Mike believes is a relief cast of Gambrinus. He asked the group if it was a German import from the 1920-30s or is it American. Barney provided the answer. It was made by Theumler in Pittsburgh or another American city that he was unsure of and one of their ‘signature’ designs was the man at the top of most of the handles.
Russ Keiser brought a ‘Show and Tell’ of a humpen which depicted the Reich’s Adler and shields of the city states within ‘Germany’. He questioned if it is from the 1600’s or is it a 1890s reproduction. He has references which say both. The group offered thoughts, but no definitive answer.
Barney gave a wonderful and very interesting presentation on the symbolism of animals related to drinking that are present on character steins. He brought plenty of examples and the group enjoyed learning and looking. Great job Barney!
Members enjoyed the incredible salad bar and great meal.
Judy Stuart
Secretary
WORDS FROM THE PRESIDENT
Before we get to the news from the local, national and international fronts, I must offer some special thanks to members who have stepped forward when duty calls. First, to Barney who at the last minute stepped forward and gave an excellent talk on symbolism on beer steins. It was a presentation that had something from the beginner as well as the advanced collector. In addition to the information he shared with us, he presented an extraordinary collection of steins to back up his talk. THANK YOU BARNEY !!
The second thanks go to Bill Weinig, who for the second time stepped up and accepted the responsibility to do a job no one else would do. Not only has Bill signed up as chairperson of our 35TH anniversary planning group, he has now accepted the job as chairperson of the nominating committee for the 2008 officers. The club will vote on the committee’s slate and floor nominations will be accepted during the February meeting. THANK YOU BILL !! If Bill asks you for help, please say yes.
On the local scene, attention is now being directed to finalizing plans for the joint meeting with the Keysteiners and our 35 anniversary party. The joint meeting is set for September 16, 2007 in York PA. The location is Eric Salzano’s building located at 228 East Market Street, York Pa. 17401. There is limited parking next to Eric’s place, as well as a public parking carnage one block down the street. It was suggested that people leave the parking spots outside the hall for those who are bringing steins to sell. Please abide by this suggestion. Market Street is one way and there is a public garage approximately one block on the left past the hall. It may be free on Sunday but bring a dollar just in case. The meeting will start at 12:00 noon. You will find directions at the end of the newsletter. The speaker will be Steve Steigerwald, the past SCI President and well known in SCI for his knowledge on steins. Steve will be speaking on Mettlach Probes and other oddities. The meal is being catered by Commonwealth Catering and will be a buffet along with Hors d’oeuvers and drinks. The Keysteiners and Gambrinus are donating the drinks, since Eric does not have a license to sell alcohol.
If you want to stay overnight in York, Eric suggests the Yorktown Hotel. It is a nice old hotel with lots of history and located at 48 East Market Street – just one block from the meeting place. The average price for a room is $119 and you should call 717-848-1111 for reservations. If you to stay the night before the meeting and want to have a little get together, call Eric Salzano at 717-848-6809.
If you want a stein sale table, please circle “YES” on the reservation form where indicated. We must know in advance so ample tables are available. No circle = no table = no sales!
Next on the horizon is the 35th anniversary party. Please see Judy’s report on the party later in this newsletter. Your planning committee has been working hard to put this together for you. Tickets will go on sale at the joint meeting with the Keysteiners in September. So put an extra $40 or $80 in your wallet and plan to attend with your significant other. There will be music, great food, silent stein auction, stein sales, and a great presentation by David Harr.
On the national front, the news is about the 41st Annual Convention held in Louisville, Kentucky in July. Some things were great and others fair; but overall it was a great convention. I feel everyone gained a stein or two and increased their stein knowledge while enjoying a historic hotel and the local revitalized downtown area outside the hotel. Our own Norm Paratore received a certificate of recommendation for the great job he does on our newsletter.
The SCI Board of Trustees met the day before the convention started. President Phil Masenheimer called the meeting to order. The 2006 minutes were approved as written. Each of the officers then tendered reports. The following is a brief summary of the key facts and actions passed by the members. The revised draft of the SCI Bylaws was reviewed and passed by the board. Our Dick Strom was a member of the draft committee and put many hours of work in updating the Bylaws. In addition to the Bylaws, the Standing Rules draft was approved with minor changes. New and current members can now get a discount on their dues (like Gambrinus has been doing for almost 15 years) if they sign up for three years. Copies of these drafts will be at the September meeting for you to review.
David Harr reported that there was a positive gain in membership for the first time in several years. The current membership is about 1200 as of July. SCI spent $5,000 in advertising in magazines and newspapers in the past year. This effort only produced 12 new members. Dave advised local clubs to take note and not waste their money. The big gain in membership came thru the efforts of Dave contacting members who had not renewed their membership in the past three years. Bill Hamer is talking over for David as the 2nd vice president of membership.
Walt Vogdes is stepping down as WEBMASTER as soon as a replacement is found. If you are interested in supporting and taking some of the load off Walt, please contact him directly. You don’t have to be a programmer to just help out by reviewing the site for mistakes and making sure it works on your browser.
Dave Bruha reported all is going well with the plans for the 2008 convention in Germany. More on this under international news. Arvid Frender reported on the 2009 convention plans for Las Vegas. It will be July 3rd and 4th at the Palace Hotel. It was explained that the conventions are held over the 4th of July because of the reduced rates that the hotels offer. The board is looking for a club to step up and sponsor the 2010 convention. It takes several years to plan a convention and 2010 is in jeopardy.
The policy of SCI giving a yearly stipend of $300 to the chapters for speakers was clarified. It can be used by the local club for anyone, in or outside, of SCI if they are recognized as an expert in their field and are not a member of the local chapter. Prior approval is required and the form must be sent to Les Paul. We have applied for this grant for the 35th party.
The cost for publishing Prosit was greatly reduced by changing the publisher and going to the US mail for delivery. If you get your Prosit late it is because of a problem with your local post office. All copies of Prosit are mailed the same day.
The highlight of the convention was the stein sales and auctions. The Stein Auction Company had a great selection with something for all wallets and types of stein collectors. It was exciting to see three bidders battle it out over the phone to win a $120,750 stein. In addition to the auction, there were many great buys in several of the member’s hotel rooms and on the stein sales tables. By the time the member’s auction rolled around I think all the good stuff was long gone.
Like all conventions, Steve Smith held court in the hotel bar ‘til it closed.
The news on the international front is the 2009 convention in Germany. It will be at the Beer Stein Museum in Bad Schussenried from July 30th to August 3rd 2008. The itinerary for the convention will be in a packet at the September meeting.
See You in September
Russ Keiser
Convention Report
By: Norm Paratore
A few more thoughts on the SCI Convention: a little about what happened, what is about to happen, who won what awards, and the next two conventions.
The Seelbach hotel is a wonderful old hotel with a Grand staircase in the lobby. But, as is with many old hotels, the rooms were tiny and tired - needing a make-over. Many years ago we had a convention in Chicago at the Drake hotel, which is another grand old hotel. They had just completed a major renovation and the hotel was in great shape. Seelbach would be wise to consult them on what to do.
There were five major speakers and a large number of roundtable discussions, which were well received and attended. Gambrinus speakers included yours truly and Dick Strom. Gambrinus members attending were:
Russ and Betty Keiser
Judy Stuart
Dick Strom
Steve Smith
Norm Paratore
The meeting rooms were great, the service was good, the food was excellent, and the bar was outstanding. Do I have my priorities straight or what????
Major Awards presented were:
Master Steinologist Lyn Ayers (current Librarian)
Jack Heimann Dave Bruha
Editor’s Award Charlotte Whitham (Prosit article on “Bustle Lady Steins”)
Les Paul, SCI Executive Director, announced that the new SCI Membership Directory is well underway and will probably be posted on the members only section of the web site. This will provide quick access by SCI members who need to look someone up and also easier and cheaper to keep it up-to-date. If you have never seen the directory, or been asked if you want to participate, each SCI member must give their permission to have their information included. You can opt out or limit the amount of personal information to include: member’s name, spouse’s name, home address, email address, home phone, cell phone, and chapter affiliation. You can also elect not to have anything included other than your name or nothing at all. If you would like me to handle this for you, send or email me with the information you want published and I will collect it for everyone and forward to SCI. Or, you can send it directly to either Les Paul or Walt Vogdes.
Les also announced that SCI now offers membership discounts, as follows:
• 1st time members: $25 for one year or $75 for three years
• Current members: $100 for three years
Walt Vogdes is trying to step down as WebMaster. Currently, he is looking not only for his replacement but for members to help him and to take some of the load off his shoulders.
David Harr – Membership. David made a very short presentation and the bottom line is that membership increased (+131) for the first time in several years.
2008 convention – Bad Schussenried, Germany
Itinerary will be much like the last convention in Germany. Starts in Munich with one night at the Munich Holiday Inn (€167). Free transportation from the airport. Buses will then transport everyone on Wednesday to Bad Schussenried, where members will stay at several hotels. The auction will be hosted by the Vogts.
Beatrix Adler announced that she is going to offer a 1-week post-convention tour, which she will personally lead. It will include a tour of the city of Mettlach and the V&B museum. Then on to Cologne, Dusseldorf, Bonn, Seiburg, Westerwald, and even a tour of the Adler homestead. Somewhere in there she is going to make time for everyone to take a cruise on the Rhein, Seats are going to be limited, so plan on getting your reservations to this post convention event in as soon as you can.
2009 Convention – Las Vegas
Will be in fall (October 3-8) due to excessive heat in Las Vegas in July. Hotel rooms are expected to range from around $70 to $100 for an upgrade. No other details at this time. Oh yes. I think it was Ron Fox who said the convention stein will be in the shape of a slot machine. Neat!
Request from a viewer of the Gambrinus Web Site
In case you are not aware of it yet, Gambrinus has its own web site. Nothing fancy but it is there. I will archive all the newsletters on it, as well as Steve Smith’s Pewter Newsletters. Anyone will be able to access these – no password required.
This person found our site and left a short message on some stoneware steins he is selling. If you are interested, please contact him directly. Sounds like he wants to sell the entire collection as a set.
Andrew Kramer camillebkramer@hotmail.com
“I have a collection of approx 150 German one-liter stone mugs and related items from small Bavarian breweries. These are pre 1973 or older. They are not tourist type mugs. I would like to sell this collection. I live in Camp Hill, PA (near Harrisburg), but would be willing to travel to your meeting to meet any members who might be interested.”
Gambrinus 35th Anniversary Celebration Report
By Judy Stuart for the 35th Anniversary Committee
Gambrinus stein collectors have been learning, sharing, and having fun for 35 years in the DC, VA, MD area. And, to celebrate that feat, the Chapter is hosting a 35 Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, November 11, at the Holiday Inn in Gaithersburg, MD. We have invited other stein collectors and friends and have a very special day planned.
The committee has secured a large ballroom on the main floor of the hotel, which has ample parking and is very convenient to Interstate 270. We will welcome Gambrinus members and guests at 11 a.m. Stein sales will also begin at that time. Members and other guests can consign quality steins for the silent auction at this time. (Members and guests who have registered to have a sales table may begin setting up at 10:30 a.m.)
Our featured speaker of the day is David Harr who will be speaking about “Pewter,” and since nearly every stein has pewter, this should be of great interest to all. He will follow his presentation with several demonstrations of repairing pewter. The audience will be broken into small groups to better see how this master craftsman accomplishes some of his work.
Following David Harr’s presentation there will be time to shop at the sales tables and to plan your strategy for the members’ auction. There will be German music to enjoy and the sit-down luncheon with your choice of sliced beef tenderloin, chicken Marsala, or grilled fresh salmon. The German musicians will provide entertainment as the silent auction bids and stein sales continue. There will be recognition of the long time members and the history makers of Gambrinus Stein Club. There will be time for socializing, bidding in the silent auction, the cash bar, and the stein sales tables throughout the day. Silent auction winners will be announced and the day will end with a renewed appreciation for and accomplishments of the people and the Gambrinus Stein club.
The cost of this event is $40.00 per person and is due with a check payable to Russ Keiser, President, by October 31. There will be registration blanks available at the meeting with the Keysteiners on September 16 and in the October Gambrinus Gazette.
The Gambrinus committee who have prepared this event are: Bill Weinig (chairperson), Dick Strom, Chris Schaefer, Eric Koehler, Eric Salzano, Russ Keiser, Steve Smith, Susan Weinig, and Judy Stuart.
Keysteiner/Gambrinus Joint Meeting
September 16, 2007
Location: 228 East Market Street, York, PA 17401 Hosts: Salzanos and Esteps
Time: 12 – 1 p.m. social time, 1 p.m. lunch Reservations: $20.00 per person
Speaker : Steve Steigerwald Subject - Mettlach Probes and other oddities
Beer and Wine will be supplied by the Keysteiners
We will have a 50/50 raffle to help cover cost of alcohol.
Don’t forget your Keysteiners Chapter or Pa. Convention stein for the stein drinking drawing.
We still have a couple 2006 convention steins for sale, if you want to get in the drawing.
Steve’s presentation will follow the dinner since he has a long drive back to New York.
Eric Salzano says if anyone is in town the night before the meeting and wants to get together,
give him a call, 717-848-6809
Any questions on meeting, call the Esteps at 717-938-1958
Meeting Menu
Hors d'oeuvres
International and Domestic Cuts of Cheese with Assortment of Crackers
Assortment of Crudités with Cheese Dip
Dinner Buffet
Sliced Pork Tenderloin with Raspberry Sauce
Spicy Shrimp on a Sugar Cane Skewer
Brats with Sautéed Apples
Nancy Gingrich's Famous Sauerkraut
Citrus Rosemary Glazed Chicken Breast
Scalloped Potatoes
Chef Cut Vegetables
Decedent Chocolate Cake
Iced Tea
Prepared and served by Commonwealth Caterers
Reservation form at the end of the newsletter
Directions to the York Women’s Club
Address: 228 E Market St, York, PA 17401
NOTE: I suggest you double check all directions as construction happens all the time and Mapquest does not include recent changes.
From the Washington Beltway (I-495)
1. Take I-95 North towards Baltimore to the Baltimore Beltway (I-695)
2. Take the Baltimore Beltway (i-695) West to I-83
3. Merge onto I-83 N via EXIT 24 toward TIMONIUM / YORK PA & go approximately 37.4 miles
4. Get off I-83 at exit 15, S. George St.
5. Go 3.4 miles North on S. George St.
6. Right onto Market St.
7. Go 3/10 of a mile, building is on right
When leaving, continue East on Market St. 1.7 miles and you will come back to 83 N. & S.
There is lots of street parking in front of building and there is some parking in back of building. There is also a parking garage about a block before you get to building.
For people who can walk ok it would be nice if you parked a little up the street so people with steins for sale can park close.
KEYSTEINERS/GAMBRINUS CLUB MEETING SEPTEMBER 16, 2007
12:00 MEMBERS ARRIVE - MIX AND MINGLE – STEIN SALE TABLES SET UP
1:00 LUNCH
2:00 (APPROXIMATELY) TALK BY STEVE STEIGERWALD
CHAPTER BUSINESS MEETINGS FOLLOWING THE TALK
Reservation must be received no later than Sept. 8, 2007
Name(s) attending: ______________ _______________ _______________ ______________
Total enclosed @ $20.00 per person $__________________
I will be selling steins (circle one): Yes No Number of Tables needed: _____________
Make check payable to: “PA Keysteiners” and mail with this form to:
Carolyn Estep
113 Sunset Drive
New Cumberland, PA 17070-3060
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August Newslatter