Fw: World's Greatest Hobby Club update

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

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "World'sGreatestHobbyClubs"
<WorldsGreatestHobbyClubs@maillist.kalmbachmail.com>
To: <ttat@aoot.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 12:27 PM
Subject: World's Greatest Hobby Club update


> WORLD'S GREATEST HOBBY NEWSLETTER
> September 2003
>
> What's up with the World's Greatest Hobby? 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
> ___________________________________________________________
>
>
> The calendar says "September," and that can only mean one thing: It's
> two months 'til National Model Railroad Month. Well sure, there's lots
> more to the autumn than that, but many individuals and model railroad
> clubs are already geared up for our hobby's biggest promotional month.
>
> In conjunction with the World's Greatest Hobby campaign and National
> Model Railroad Month, the Seacoast Division of the NMRA will sponsor
> special programs throughout November at the Wolfeboro (N.H.) Public
> Library. The Saturday programs (Nov. 1, 15, and 22) and the Thursday
> night program (Nov. 6) focus on beginners with such topics as "Model
> Railroading as a Hobby," "Local Railroading Past and Present," "Quick
> and Easy Scenery Tips," and "Selecting, Setting Up and Maintaining a New
> Train." The organization ordered 200 "Welcome to the World's Greatest
> Hobby" kits, plus other introductory model railroad materials, to
> support their presentations, which are expected to draw 450 people. The
> event will also be supported by month-long displays from the Great Falls
> Model Railroad Club in Lewiston, Maine (HO layout), and Seacoast
> Division member Sanford Roberts (O gauge exhibit).
>
> Such comprehensive efforts, and even smaller one-day presentations or
> open houses, during National Model Railroad Month are a tremendous asset
> to the hobby and the WGH campaign. And don't forget Take a Train to Work
> Day on Nov. 14.
>
> Closer to the present, how about a show that'll reach 1.3 million people
> and is inextricably tied in to the Los Angeles County Fair (Sept.
> 12-28)? The Fairplex Garden Railroad (Pomona, Calif.) will conduct
> classes, "Beginning Garden Railroading," during the fair using the WGH
> video and materials as well as their own resources. The organization,
> whose massive G gauge garden railroad is based on the fairgrounds, was
> featured on PBS throughout California this year and was hoping for
> similar advance coverage this year. In addition, volunteers have
> regularly geared up for programs elsewhere, including clinics on the
> Queen Mary's Big Train Show in June that included 80 participants. Check
> the club's website at
> http://list.kalmbachmail.com/UM/T.asp?A4.63.38.10.27356
> for a pictorial look at the railroad.
>
> On the topic of garden-variety trains, the Arizona Republic in Phoenix
> couldn't resist delving into the life and railroad of Patricia Clark and
> Ed Dunshie in introducing its readers to the growing fascination with
> garden railroading. The May 31 article, published on the front page of
> the newspaper's Arizona Living feature section, mentioned the World's
> Greatest Hobby campaign, Garden Railways magazine (whose circulation has
> more than doubled in the past seven years), and other hobby businesses
> to "grow" the story.
>
> The World's Greatest Hobby also saw press in the Chicago Tribune (April
> 30, on the Lawson House layout in a YMCA basement), the Chattanooga
> Times Free Press (May 9, on the NMRA's Southeast Region convention), and
> the Philadelphia Inquirer (June 8, on the nation's Top 10 model railroad
> cities). In case you didn't hear, the top 10 (as determined by the Model
> Railroad Industry Association) were: Milwaukee, Pittsburgh,
> Philadelphia, Cleveland, Washington, Cincinnati, Boston, Seattle, Kansas
> City, and Chicago.
>
> Perhaps hoping to keep Milwaukee at the top of that list, the Milwaukee
> Art Museum played host to the original WGH layout, plus a variety of
> other club and special layouts as part of the Brooks Stevens exhibit
> Aug. 15-17. The event, which was also highlighted by the
> Stevens-designed Skytop observation car from the Milwaukee Road's
> Hiawatha streamlined era, housed layouts in the museum's spectacular
> observation-car-like atrium that faces Lake Michigan. An estimated 4,500
> attended the weekend event, which was just a segment of the Stevens
> exhibit.
>
> An ambassador helped put the World's Greatest Hobby on national TV. John
> Vanacore, WGH ambassador no. 873, owns the Round Hill Store, a train
> store in Greenwich, Conn.
> http://list.kalmbachmail.com/UM/T.asp?A4.63.38.9.27356
> One of his customers is a producer from Fox and Friends, a national
> morning television show on the Fox network. John often talked with the
> producer about the fun and fascination of model trains. He must have
> done a great job, because on Aug. 14, he was given a guest spot on Fox
> and Friends to demonstrate how simple it is to get started in model
> railroading. For the interview, Model Railroader magazine made
> arrangements to have a portable HO scale 4 x 6 foot layout operating on
> the set. That layout will be featured the January 2004 issue.
>
> ________________________________________________________________
>
>
> 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@greatesthobby.com>, or telephone 877-426-5082.
> Please plan ahead and allow at least two weeks for delivery.
>
> ARRANGING APPEARANCES - While the campaign's public relations firm, the
> Rosen Group of New York, continues to publicize the WGH speakers bureau,
> ambassadors can also arrange their own appearances, particularly for
> events that are conveniently close to home. Using the following link,
> you'll find a form letter (a Microsoft Word document) that you can copy
> 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. Note, this link cannot be accessed
> by going to the home page of the website. Simply cut and paste the
> following address or use the active link enclosed in this e-mail.
> http://list.kalmbachmail.com/UM/T.asp?A4.63.38.1.27356
>
> YOUR FEEDBACK - We'd like to hear from you. Retailers can reach an
> appropriate contact in trade sales, and sponsors have access to program
> leaders. 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
>
> Under a separate e-mail ambassadors should have received their User Name
> and password that could be used to register for the WGH forum, along
> with registration instructions.  After registration is completed,
> ambassadors can access the WGH forum at:
> http://list.kalmbachmail.com/UM/T.asp?A4.63.38.3.27356
>
> 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?A4.63.38.4.27356
> 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.
>
> WGH LAYOUT - A PDF is now available on the WGH website of the trackplan
> and materials list from the WGH "Building Your First Layout" video. It
> can be found on the downloads page at:
> http://list.kalmbachmail.com/UM/T.asp?A4.63.38.2.27356
>
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