MnM Collectors Club

Orlando, March 2000

The second annual M&M Collectors Club Convention was held in Orlando in March, 2000. It was held at the Ramada Gateway in Kissimmee, just south of Orlando.

Check-in began Thursday evening, March 2. The Hawkes from Australia were one of the first ones to register. Check-in picture from the other end of the line. Everyone who attend received a 'goody' bag which contained six convention pins, one Minis watch, a packet of stickers from Canada, an M&M Trivia test, a scavenger hunt form, and other infornation. Liz Rutan, showing up for her second convention, is pictured inspecting her "goodie bag". When things slowed down, the check-in staff, with those pesky Hawkes still in the way, posed for a group shot.

Room hopping became the major activity for the evening. Goodies were on display everywhere. Trina Johnson and family are pictured with a copy of M&Ms Around The World, by Ken Clee and Joyce Losonsky. Jerry & Bobbie Deese paused long enough for a picture. Karen Meadors is warning the photographer what might happen if he continues to take her picture. Joyce Losonsky seems to be making the same warning.

Check-in continued Friday morning. The Hopsitality room was open all day Friday as well. JoEllen Hogan and mother, Donna Marxer, are shown being attacked by boxes of hungry donuts.

Friday evening was the General Membership Meeting. Officers were nominated, by-laws were approved, and the location of the next convention determined. Linda Currie, attending her first convention, was a hit with her M&M buttons. Patricia Sentell attended with her mother. Russ Ott and Beverly Lanehart came in from Texas for their first convention. Sharon & Lynn Hargus look like they're enjoying things.

Before the meeting, conversation about and pictures of M&Ms were the main theme.

Vice President Ken Clee made the presentation of the award for the club member who had travelled the farthest to attend the convention. The winners, easily, were Bob & Karen Hawkes, from Pooraka, South Australia. A raffle was held to raise money for the club. Pictured is Marilyn Griggs taking some of Jerry Deese's money. An unbiased volunteer was selected to do the drawing, Heziah Johnson, age 4, son of Trina Johnson. Guess what? Being a good son, he immediately drew his mother's number for the 3rd prize, a club convention poster autographed by everyone in attendence. Second prize, a candle made with an M&M European topper, was won by Joyce Losonsky. First Prize, a real goodie basket with ten unusual M&M items, was won by JoEllen Hogan. She had to unwrap it and show folks the goodies she'd won.

An auction was also held. Pictured is Bill Poe checking the bid sheets.

We all posed for a group picture on our way to having a club dinner on Saturday next door. Most members are wearing the official M&M Collectors Club Convention T-shirt.

From left to right:
Front row: Mrs Braithwaite, Pill Poe, Pat Poe, Ginny Wolfe, Bobbie Deese, Linda Currie, Mike Murphy
Middle row: William Braithwaite, Annie Van Amstel, Janet Williams, Karen Hawkes, Chris Schroter, Marilyn Griggs, Lynne Geary, Sara Landis, Sharon Hargus, Steve Hamblin
Back row: Sandy Brown, Liz Rutan, Don Williams, Mrs Van Amstel, Ken Clee, Mike Meadors, Karen Meadors, Bob Hawkes, Al Griggs, Russ Ott, Lynn Hargus

We then made our way out of the Ramada and then down the hill for all-you-can-eat. Annie Van Amstel and her mother standing in line. And a bunch of us waiting for the word to hit the chow line.

Second Annual Convention

Orlando, March 2000