2013 BIRTHDAY WEEKEND
ASH played a prominent role throughout the weekend which began with the traditional ASH Wednesday gathering at O’Casey’s attended by approximately 50 enthusiastic Sherlockians. The next morning Doré Nash co-hosted the Morley walk with her usual style and wit.
As always, the Gillette luncheon was hosted by Susan Rice in conjunction with Mickey Fromkin. At the luncheon, Al Gregory announced that ASH Melinda Caric won the 2013 WHIMSEY award for her toast “An Open Apology to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle” which appeared in Vol. 28 No. 3 of the Muse. Melinda received a handsome certificate and a check for $221.17. The Jan WHIMSEY Award in memory of Jan Stauber was established and funded by Jan’s husband Al Gregory. It is given to the author writing the most whimsical piece during the Muse volume year (i.e., from the December to September issues). All articles, verse, etc., appearing in the Muse are eligible except for the entries in the Birthday Challenge and pieces written by the judges (the Muse editorial board, Francine Kitts, and Sue Vizoskie) or their spouses. Our sincere thanks to Al for sponsoring the award and to Melinda for delighting us and our readers.
Congratulations also go to ASH Elaine Coppola who was honored by the BSI as “The Woman” for 2013. Sue Vizoskie gave the toast to Elaine. Our very best wishes go to Sue, who is recovering from injuries suffered during Hurricane Sandy. We hope she’ll be on her feet soon and that she and Ben will be back in their home.
At the BSI dinner, several ASH were featured on the program. Julie McKuras gave the toast to “An Old Irregular.” Peter Blau spoke about Julian Wolff, while Susan Rice and Evelyn Herzog reminisced about Tom Stix. Lyndsay Faye was part of the musical entertainment, and Francine Kitts led attendees in standing upon the terrace for those BSI who had crossed the Reichenbach in the past year.
The annual Beacon Society meeting was held on January 12 at the Roosevelt Hotel. The Society was founded by ASH Maribeau Briggs to support educational experiences that introduce young people to the Canon and to recognize exemplary efforts that do so. All of the Society’s present officers are ASH. For more information, go to BeaconSociety.com or the Society’s Facebook page.
Two major events during the weekend were the Gaslight Gala and the Daintiest Thing under a Bonnet charity ball. Becky Robare and Lyndsay Faye, respectively, provide all the details on these events elsewhere in this issue.
On Saturday after the Beacon Society meeting, the Clients of Adrian Mulliner, now headed by ASHes Carol Cavalluzzi and Elaine Coppola along with co-conspirator George Vanderburgh, convened for the Junior Bloodstain. The entertainment was a reading of ASH Gayle Lange Puhl’s “The Riddle of the Starving Swine” (adapted by William Hyder). Since Gayle’s extremely clever work will be recreated on October 19 at The Wodehouse Society’s convention in Chicago, we’re not going to tell you anything more about it as we hope you’ll come to Chicago and see it then.
At the BSI cocktail party, Betsy and Al Rosenblatt presented their traditional poem recounting humorously the events of the past year. Peter Blau did his usual adept stint as auctioneer, while Mary Ann Bradley introduced “The Women.” It was Mary Ann’s lucky afternoon as she won the Watson Fund’s raffle prize of the magnificent chatelaine crafted by Maggie Schpak. Sunday concluded the birthday festivities with the ASH brunch once again ably hosted by Lyndsay Faye.
