Fw: WORLD'S GREATEST HOBBY NEWSLETTER - February 2003

["Steve Wise" <swise@aoot.com>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "WorldsGreatestHobby"
<WorldsGreatestHobby.UM.A.4.43@maillist.kalmbachmail.com>
To: <ttat@aoot.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 11:25 AM
Subject: WORLD'S GREATEST HOBBY NEWSLETTER - February 2003


> WORLD'S GREATEST HOBBY NEWSLETTER
> February 2003
>
> What's up with the World's Greatest Hobby? For starters, we should
> introduce "us," your newsletter editors, David Popp, associate editor of
> Model Railroader magazine, and Jim Riccioli, associate editor of Classic
> Toy Trains magazine. The updates come from a variety of sources, but we
> place extra weight on the information provided to us from you, our
> ambassadors. Below you'll find some recent success stories as well as
> other information and updates. - David Popp and Jim Riccioli
>
>
> NEWS AND SUCCESS STORIES
>
> So what's in a number?
> The news that the World's Greatest Hobby campaign had enrolled its
> 1,000th ambassador (David Bacon) in November took ambassador no. 1000
> Glen Chenier by surprise. Due to duplications in applications and other
> administrative twists, numbers are sometimes "wasted," so each
> ambassador's number and the order in which they were approved seldom
> match up.
> Not that Glen had much time to worry about such matters. Ambassador no.
> 1000 is teaching a community education evening course in model
> railroading this winter and spring in Allen, TX. A first for that area,
> the course could become a regular ongoing activity if enrollment is
> strong enough. Glen has also built a portable N scale layout that was on
> display for the Christmas season in a family restaurant managed by his
> girlfriend, who he considers an "unofficial ambassador." She built all
> of the scenery and did "a fantastic job," he says and is always telling
> her restaurant customers how she did it. Meanwhile, Glenn has a portable
> Z scale layout under construction, and you can guess who he has
> recruited to do the scenery on that one.
> So what's in a number? As you can see, it's not the number that matters;
> it's the effort put forth by each ambassador that makes this the World's
> Greatest Hobby.
>
> As for WGH's 1,000th ambassador, he's anxious to promote the world of
> model railroading because it wasn't so long ago that someone clued him
> in on the joys of scale modeling.
> A longtime railfan, David Bacon didn't take to modeling in earnest until
> 1996, when his new, model railroading father-in-law had a few words of
> (in this case) welcome advice. Of his own layout, David remarks,
> "Although it's not a complicated layout, it proves that even a modest
> layout can be a great place to start in the World's Greatest Hobby."
> That's the kind of attitude that makes ambassadors and introduces new
> hobbyists, says Russ Larson, publisher of Model Railroader magazine.
> "The rapid growth of our Ambassador program signals a bright future for
> the campaign and the hobby," said Larson. "Attesting to model
> railroading's broad appeal, we're attracting enthusiasts of all stripes
> - those who have been modeling for years and those who began recently,
> those with elaborate layouts and those with simple setups."
>
> Mike Pettruzzelli, another active ambassador, took part in the Pacific
> Science Center train show in Seattle last November and had his hands in
> other WGH activities in and around Anacortes, Wash. Last August, Mike
> served as camp director for a Cub Scout day camp in Anacortes, where he
> passed out many brochures and stickers and gave away a 4 x 8 layout from
> an earlier Science Center show.
>
> Richard Schumacher reports that an HO scale 4 x 8 layout was built and
> donated by the Gateway Division NMRA (Greater St. Louis Area) to the
> Missouri Historical Society for its new exhibit, "Our World in
> Miniature," which opened in October and will run through February. The
> museum has received WGH literature to distribute during the exhibit. In
> addition, Gateway Division members will present demos and conduct "make
> and take" clinics throughout the duration of the exhibit (build a model
> railroad, build a tree, build a car kit, build a structure, painting
> figures, etc.).
> For a list of the scheduled exhibit activities, see the group's website
> http://list.kalmbachmail.com/UM/T.asp?A4.50.12.2.7752
>
> In December, ambassadors and other key WGH spokespeople collectively
> reminded the world (well, at least a significant portion of North
> America) about the traditional ties between Christmas and trains.
> Several pieces involved national audiences. On the Today Show Dec. 24,
> Paul Busse discussed model trains and their connection with the holiday
> season, reaching an estimated audience of 6 million viewers. In a
> seasonally oriented feature landing in the hands of 1.1 million readers,
> the Dec. 13 issue of the Wall Street Journal reported on the hobby's
> resurgence and referenced the World's Greatest Hobby campaign in the
> second paragraph. CNN's Money Line included a Dec. 26 segment (viewed by
> 500,000 folks) exploring how many families still have a model train
> running around the Christmas tree, and the tradition's nostalgic
> significance.
> Regional TV events with significant audiences had a similar seasonal
> flavor in December. Kato's Brent Runzel (WGN-TV in Chicago, Dec. 23,
> 150,000 viewers), ambassador Jim Providenza (KRON-TV in San Francisco,
> Dec. 22, 80,000 viewers), and ambassador Phil Monette (News 12 New
> Jersey TV, Dec. 20, 60,000 viewers) all touched upon similar ideas.
> Two major regional newspaper articles added to the December tally. The
> Toronto Star's Dec. 23 feature on model railroading technological leaps
> (quoting Model Railroader publisher Russ Larson) and the Twin
> Cities-based Star Tribune's Dec. 30 report on model railroading
> demographics (quoting the NMRA's Brent Lambert as well as Model
> Railroader statistics) each reached close to 1 million readers.
> All in all, a nice gift from the people who make up the World's Greatest
> Hobby.
>
>
> WGH INFORMATION
>
> AMBASSADOR NUMBERS - Your ambassador kits included your own unique
> ambassador number. Please remember to use this number in ordering WGH
> booklets and any other WGH materials, whether by e-mail or telephone,
> and to have your audiences enter it on the feedback cards they fill out.
> This number on the feedback cards will help us to keep track of your
> appearances and to recognize outstanding contributions by individual
> ambassadors. You can e-mail your requests for materials to
> <mailto:customerservice@kalmbach.com>, or telephone 877-426-5082. Please
> plan ahead and allow at least two weeks for delivery.
>
> ARRANGING APPEARANCES - The campaign's public relations firm, the Rosen
> Group of New York, continues to publicize the WGH speakers bureau.
> However, ambassadors can also arrange their own appearances,
> particularly for events that are conveniently close to home. You'll find
> a form letter (a Microsoft Word document) on the greatesthobby.com web
> site that you can send to organizations in your area to introduce
> yourself and the WGH campaign. Copy the document and add pertinent
> information. At a minimum you'll need to enter your name and address,
> that of the organization and contact person you write to, and your own
> contact information. You will find this form letter at
> http://list.kalmbachmail.com/UM/T.asp?A4.50.12.3.7752
>
> YOUR FEEDBACK - We'd like to hear from you. As always, retailers can
> reach an appropriate contact in trade sales, and sponsors have access to
> program leaders. Now ambassadors with e-mail and Internet can
> participate in a forum set up just for them.
> The forum consists of four topic areas: Success stories, sharing
> speaking tips, other promotional activities, and suggestions for
> improving the campaign. The forum is interactive, allowing you to
> comment on other ambassadors' posts, and moderated, allowing us to keep
> the posts on topic. Please tell us about any WGH presentations that you
> make. We'd especially like to share your successes and anything you
> learn with the other ambassadors.
> Using the forum, we'll try to summarize and highlight some of those
> success stories in future issues of this newsletter for all ambassadors,
> clubs, retailers, and sponsors to read.
> Under a separate e-mail in the next several days, ambassadors will
> receive instructions and links on how to access this new forum. Follow
> the registration instructions and have at it. From that point forward,
> to access the WGH forum, go to:
> http://list.kalmbachmail.com/UM/T.asp?A4.50.12.4.7752
>
> UPDATING YOUR INFORMATION - Ambassadors who need to make changes to
> their registration information can do so online at
> http://list.kalmbachmail.com/UM/T.asp?A4.50.12.5.7752
> When you get to that page, click on "update existing information" and
> you'll be able to enter changes of address, telephone numbers, e-mail,
> and anything else on the form.
>
> RECRUITING - Grass-roots support efforts have helped spur the campaign
> over the 1,000 ambassador mark. Keep spreading the word about the
> World's Greatest Hobby. The more ambassadors, registered clubs, and
> registered retailers the program has, the better.
>
>
>
> -----
> ttat@aoot.com
>