2010 BIRTHDAY WEEKEND
ASH activities during the weekend began with the traditional ASH Wednesday gathering at O’Casey’s. The next morning Doré Nash co-hosted the Morley walk with her usual style and donuts.
On Friday the Gillette luncheon was hosted by Susan Rice in conjunction with Mickey Fromkin. The Friends of Bogie (ASHes Sarah Montague and Andrew Joffe, with Paul Singleton) took a Holmesian approach to some traditional nursery rhymes. Al Gregory announced that ASH Philip Shreffler won the 2010 Jan WHIMSEY award for his “Toast to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle” which appeared in Vol. 25, No. 4 of the Muse. Philip was not in attendance, but he will receive 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 Museeditorial board, Francine Kitts, and Sue Vizoskie) or their spouses. Our sincere thanks to Al for sponsoring the award and to Philip for delighting us and our readers.
At the BSI dinner, three well-known ASH received their shillings at the 2010 BSI dinner and Susan Dahlinger received an Editors’ Award for her work on the Christmas Annual “Rathbone Returns.” Brava, ladies! Special thanks to Ben Vizoskie for the photographs. Sue Vizoskie argued that Holmes was a woman—no surprise to any of us. Francine Kitts led attendees in standing upon the terrace for those BSI who had crossed the Reichenbach in the past year.
On Saturday another ASH was honored at the Beacon Society meeting when Myrtle Robinson received the Beacon Award for her long-time efforts in promoting the Canon in South Carolina schools. Many of her activities have been reported in the Muse. Congratulations also to Pj Doyle for becoming the Beacon Society’s new Fundraising Chair and to Francine Kitts who has taken over from Myrtle as Program Chair.
Saturday Marilyn MacGregor co-chaired the annual meeting of The Clients of Adrian Mulliner—the scion composed of those many Sherlockians who are also Wodehousians.
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.”
Sunday concluded with the ASH brunch once again ably hosted by Lyndsay Faye. She also hosted the informal dinner at Kennedy’s Restaurant on Saturday night after the BSI cocktail party.
