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NCC Council of "56" Clubs
 
NCC 15-YEAR TIMELINE
Compiled by Bob Obenland, NCC President, and Peggy Culler-Hair, NCC Reg. Rep. Coordinator, based on the 10-Year timeline by Ruth Buerkle published in the spring 2002 issue of the NCC Bulletin, Vol. X, Issue 1, pp 11-15, and NCC records.

 

1992 -- August 22 -- At Bachman's Village Gathering, in Minneapolis, MN, NCC meets under the tentative name "Council of Department 56 Collectors Clubs," following two years of grassroots efforts.

1993 -- May 23 -- Rolling Meadow, IL, Alan and Lynn Wagner appointed co-presidents. "National Council of "56" Clubs" adopted as official name.
-- Honorary associate membership status granted to Jack Skeels, for his role as catalyst in the formation of the NCC, and to Judith Price as the Department 56 representative. Associate memberships offered to retail and secondary market.

1994 -- March -- First NCC Commemorative pin -- green and gold with NCC logo. Paul Bachman elected honorary member of the NCC.
-- August -- Bylaws adopted. First National Convention held at Bachman's. Theme "Under the Big Top." Event piece pewter, green-suited Ringmaster. Convention pin, Cloisonné "Under the Big Top."
-- Handbook For Clubs completed with "A Guide for Starting a Club" section.

1995 -- September 8 -- Second Annual Convention at Bachman's Gathering. Theme, "All Roads Lead To The NCC." Pin, oval, Cloisonné with "multiple road sign" theme. Event piece, "multiple road sign." Department 56 now Corporate Sponsor of NCC. First NCC elections. Co-Presidents Chris and Bill Gorman. Second NCC commemorative pin, gold with red band.

1996 -- March -- A binder of club information and club pin display introduced to travel to each event for NCC Information Table.

1997-February -- Co-presidents Bill and Chris Gorman resign. Rebecca Fulton, Vice-President becomes new president. Regional Representative Coordinator position established.
-- August 15-17 -- Third NCC Annual National Convention and House Party held at Bachman's

Gathering. New officers elected with Rebecca Fulton as President. Debut of the NCC/Department 56 Cloisonné pin, with D56 logo and NCC logo on crossed flags.
-- September -- NCC webmaster named to create and maintain the NCC website.
-- Club, State and RR Guide Books completed by Regional Representative Coordinator.

1998 -- May -- First NCC dollars with Judith Price's picture introduced at Pennsylvania 5-6000 Gathering.
-- August -- Exclusive NCC "Collectors' Club House" unveiled by Susan Engel at Department 56 Headquarters reception.
-- August -- Bachman's Gathering, Minneapolis, MN. House Party "In The Good Ole Summertime". Second NCC dollar.
-- Annual lapel pin in the likeness of the "Collector's Club House" introduced.

1999 -- May 10 -- Bylaws revised. State representative position eliminated. Geographic boundaries for Canadian Provinces determined.
-- June -- Annual lapel pin in the likeness of the accessory for the "Collector Club House" debuted at TGIF, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
-- September 30 -- Peggy Culler-Hair elected president.

2000 -- January -- All Internet based clubs placed in Region I.
-- March -- Unveiling of first exclusive NCC yellow color, "Under the NCC Umbrella" accessory at California Gold Gathering, Irvine, CA.
 -- June -- Debut of green "Under the NCC Umbrella" accessory at TGIF, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The new red "Under the NCC Umbrella" accessory piece and the 2000 umbrella lapel pin in the 3 colors (yellow, green & red) premiered at the International Collectible Exposition, Rosemont, IL. NCC Nightclub event held in Rosemont. Exclusive "Night Club" metal jazz trumpeter figurine Louis Armstrong era and CD of NCC nightclub music was a special event set.		 2001 -- March -- Special series of six colored service award pins for volunteers introduced at MAVG, Williamsburg, VA, beginning with navy blue. Fourth NCC exclusive blue "Under the NCC Umbrella" and coordinating collector pin introduced.
-- May-July -- Fuchia volunteer pin introduced at Rocky Mountain Gathering, Denver, CO. Black volunteer pin introduced at Texas Roundup, Irving, TX.
-- July - Peggy Culler-Hair declared reelected for a second term. -- August 17-19. Department 56 Silver Anniversary Celebration, St. Paul, MN. NCC special memorabilia display of 40 club banners. NCC produced and sponsored the collectors' display contest with 57 displays. 10th Anniversary Kick-Off
NCC 15-YEAR TIMELINE, CONTINUED
Dessert Reception hosted by Department 56 for club reps, special guests and board members. NCC exclusive "Jack's Umbrella Shop" unveiled by Judith Price. A special 10th anniversary pin was introduced. Final color (silver), "Under the NCC Umbrella" accessory and pin introduced.
-- November 24. Limited quantities of "September 11th Fund" pin designed by Department 56 available through the NCC to NCC member clubs. All proceeds go to the Sept. 11 Fund.
-- Asked by Department 56 for the first time to participate in the survey of the new introductions for 2002.

2002 -- NCC celebrates it's 10th Anniversary. Special parties held at each gathering. Each member of every NCC member club given one FREE ticket for a special drawing by Department 56 for five Department 56 Holiday Tour trips for two in honor of 10 years of "Clubs Helping Clubs Help Collectors" thru the NCC. Department 56 hosted a "10 for 10" anniversary party at one club in each of the 10 NCC regions.
-- April -- A special NCC 10th Anniversary handmade quilt/wallhanging donated and first shown at the Little Houses on the Prairie Gathering. Tickets were sold for a chance to win it with proceeds to benefit Habitat for Humanity. Each attendee at the NCC 10th Anniversary parties received a "Jack's Umbrella Shop" souvenir card signed by Jack Skeels, for whom the piece pays tribute. The 2002 annual NCC lapel pin in the likeness of "Jack's Umbrella Shop" was available as well as special green NCC volunteer pins.
-- June/July -- NCC 10th Anniversary Alaska Cruise. For the first time the summer issue of the NCC Bulletin made available as a PDF file for Club Reps to receive via email attachment and later is included as a special link for member clubs only on the NCC website .
 		 -- A gift of a NCC "Collector's Club House" with a special 10th Anniversary decal was sent to each club.

2003 -- NCC 10 -- Plus parties held at all gatherings. Board voted to waive 2003 dues for all clubs and Assoc. members in good standing in 2002.
-- March -- Annual lapel pin in the likeness of the "Is It Raining" Jack's Shop accessory piece unveiled at MAVG. Drawing held for 10th Anniversary Quilt. 10-Plus Party lapel pins in 3 different finishes (silver, gold & copper) introduced and given to all party and NCC seminar attendees during the year.
-- Bob Obenland, unopposed candidate for NCC President, declared elected.

2004 -- Judith Price, Department 56 liaison to the NCC, retires. Melinda Seegers named to serve in this capacity.



 



 -- Many clubs submitted letters & pictures for inclusion in the "Memory Book" presented to Judith Price at the Chicago Gathering in honor of her retirement from Department 56.
-- The NCC in conjunction with Department 56 hosted a Dickens Tea/festival at gatherings during the year. Annual lapel pin introduced at the Chicago Gathering is a multi-colored umbrella design utilizing all 5 colors of the prior umbrella pins.
-- Each club was sent several 56 TRADITIONS

 books as a Thank You for support of the NCC. A Membership Pin introduced with enough given to each Club for each club member plus extras for membership recruitment.

2005 -- Juvenile Diabetes benefits by $3500 from the sale of Snowbabies sweatshirts and golf shirts by the NCC. The items were provided by Department 56 and one free shirt was sent to each club.
-- Each club receives a gift subscription to the new Village D-Lights magazine.
-- July -- "Ed, The NCC Snowman" accessory piece and matching lapel pin is introduced at the Region 8 Round-Up in Austin, TX. This is the 8th NCC Member Exclusive piece developed by Department 56 for the members of NCC member clubs and is named after Ed Bazinet, the founder of Department 56.
-- Bob Obenland re-elected for a second term as NCC President.
-- The NCC provides one Village D-Light's 2006 Calendar to each member club for a prize.
-- December -- Jack Skeels, the visionary of the NCC, and the individual that "Jack's Umbrella Shop" was named for, suddenly passes away.

2006 -- NCC promotes member clubs with a 3-page ad listing all current clubs and continues the Jack Skeels Hurricane Katrina fundraiser with $2000 being given to the Salvation Army for Katrina victims.
-- March -- Sixty-nine collectors & friends participate in the NCC sponsored 10-day Panama Canal/Caribbean cruise.
-- April -- Three NCC Trading Cards in memory of Jack Skeels are introduced at the Chicago Gathering. The #1 card features Jack, #2 card "Jack's Umbrella Shop" and the #3 card features the accessory "Is It Raining?"
-- The NCC provides one Village D-Light's 2007 Calendar to each member club for a prize.

2007 -- NCC 15th Anniversary with special activities all year.