This was the 11th Annual Mail Pouch Barnstormers Picnic (10th Anniversary!)
“Barnstormers’ 2012 Annual Picnic – A good time was had by all“
by Bill Vint – Fall 2012 edition of the ‘Mail Pouch Barnstormers’ newsletter
The 2011 Mail Pouch Barnstormers’ picnic was historic in marking the organization’s first decade of existence, and with any luck, the 2012 gathering of Mail Pouch enthusiasts at the historic school gymnasium in Belmont, Ohio – the birthplace of Mail Pouch legend Harley Warrick – will be historic in its own right as the year club members made sure the organization will continue its annual celebration.
The 2012 picnic and annual meeting, held on Saturday, July 28, featured all of the attractions that bring Mail Pouch enthusiasts together: tables full of collectibles to ponder and purchase; the traditional “Mail Pouch Store” featuring this year’s featured woodie, embroidered patches and postcard (depicting the “Oakland Barn” from Illinois); the always-fabulous “bring a dish” food fest, and the traditional auction of Mail Pouch items donated by club members.
There were two special activities that set this picnic apart, however..
First was an important piece of business that will hopefully give the Mail Pouch Barnstormers a foundation to continue indefinitely. It’s dry, drab business-news, but the 93 members present unanimously adopted a set of bylaws that will provide the Barnstormers with a formal structure it had never had before. To avoid taking up space in the newsletter, a copy of the new bylaws is included
with this issue so those who are interested can review the club’s new structure.
In a nutshell, the club will now be managed by a nine-person board of directors, and the board of directors will elect officers to tend to the day-to-day business needs of the club. A roster of officers and directors is included on page 6…and heading the list is our “new” president, Eddie Black of Lancaster, Ohio.
It’s premature to explain what the new structure will do for the Barnstormers, but you’ll find out some of the exciting projects the club will be tackling over the coming months. Nothing is going to change the basic objectives of the organization, which is all about preserving the heritage and history of Mail Pouch.
Speaking of history, maybe the most intriguing highlight of the 2012 picnic was a showing of a terrific 20-minute documentary called “Zim,” provided by Norman and Maxine Zimmerman Dudley, the son-and-daughter of original Mail Pouch barn painter Maurice Zimmerman. The documentary, produced for public television several years ago, captured the painting, and told the story, of an historic Mail Pouch barn during the Depression years.
Given the opportunity, “Zim” may be shown again at a future picnic because it’s an important piece. It really captures the mystique of the magical era of Mail Pouch barn painting…and it provided a special sense of belonging that only dedicated Barnstormers would appreciate.
Mark your calendar: next year’s picnic is Saturday, July 27.
More photos…
