M.I. Hummel Club®

Welcome to the Club House, Please Login.


	Home > Member's Lounge > INSIGHTS Magical Moments Fond memories from the 2011 M.I. Hummel Club Convention in Orlando In early August, 2011, we settled into Orlando's Contemporary Hotel, minutes from the Magic Kingdom, and made some magic all our own. What better location than the "happiest place on earth" to gather the happiest people on earth at the Greatest Convention on Earth! The circus was the theme and the merriment never stopped. Members arrived early to meet friends, visit the Disney parks, and shop for treasures at our on-site store. Master Artist Marion Huschka was on hand to greet collectors and demonstrate her sculpting skills. On our busy Carnival Midway, conventioneers could try their luck at the Silent Auction drawing and win at games from the Bean Bag Toss to Bingo. The Midway bustled as members tested their memories, rolled giant dice, spun a roulette wheel, kicked a ball, and tried to unlock a treasure chest. It was all to benefit our Give Kids the World charity. And everyone who played was a winner Collectors of all ages, from everwhere! It's always the people that make our conventions memorable, and Orlando was no exception. Since this was a summer event, kids were able to come along, and the giggles of young people could be heard throughout the hall. From tots to teens, children accompanied their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles to learn more about a favorite family pastime. Participants hailed from coast to coast and even across the ocean. The Decorby family came from Edmonton, in Alberta, Canada. For Mom, Melinda, and kids Elizabeth (age 11) and Eric (age 15) it was the first M.I. Hummel Club Convention. But not so for Grandma Marlene, a devoted member, collector and convention-goer. Taegen Baird, 12 years old, hails from Neenah, Wisconsin, and this was her first trip to Orlando with grandparents Steve and Carol Eake. The family got their first M.I. Hummel figurine back in 1979 on a trip to Germany, and they keep on adding more - their collection now numbers 357! Taegen is looking forward to having her own collection some day. Conventions celebrate friendship, as exemplified by Mary Manning from Buffalo, New York and Marilyn Collins of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. They met at the last convention in Buffalo and became friends. Now they talk on the phone often. And they solidified their friendship in Orlando by sharing a room and a weekend of fun. Conny and Axel Gatermann came all the way from Hamburg, Germany to join the festivities. The couple started collecting in 1999, and they've been to every Convention since, combining their vacations with their hobby, meeting fellow collectors and making new friends everywhere they go. Sister Claudia Maria of the Convent of Siessen told us that her first visit to Orlando gave her a greater understanding of American culture. She was especially touched by the joy in the children's faces when she visited the Disney theme parks. And she enjoyed the special spirit she found at our Convention. The Sister thanks all collectors for their loyalty and love. This year, a four-legged conventioneer made his debut. It was Ben, a Yorkshire Terrier who escorted Club member Lois Feller of Viera, Florida. Since Ben is employed as a Service Dog, he enjoys being the center of attention and was right at home in our adoring M.I. Hummel crowd. Kicking off the Convention, and kicking up our heels! Convention-goers were treated to inspiring Local Chapter seminars including George Gavrell's presentation on rare and remarkable spiritual figurines. A tri-Chapter presentation including Northern Virginia, Historic Triangle/Hampton Roads and Western New York Chapters highlighted the activities of their young members - teens engaged in community service and carrying on a family collecting tradition spanning the generations. The event officially kicked off on Friday afternoon, with a welcome by Carrie Kulak, M.I. Hummel Club Director, Phil Ferrigno, President of M.I. Hummel Marketing, and Jörg Köster, Managing Director of Manufaktur Rödental. The day's activities included a fun-filled test-your-knowledge game, Are You Smarter than an M.I. Hummel Collector? And a group of 12 - 16-year-olds participated in their own Young Adult Seminar. Guided by Disney hosts, the youngsters filmed and starred in M.I. Hummel commercials. They designed sets and costumes, wrote scripts, and learned about TV production and teamwork. In the evening, members gathered for German Night festivities, many donning Dirndls and Lederhosen. Music was provided by Epcot's lively German band. The alpenhorns blew, the polkas played, and the shout of Ein, Zwie, Drei, G'zuffa could be heard as we lifted our glasses in traditional toasts. Gemüchlikeit filled the convention hall and all our hearts. Enrichment combines with merriment During our Saturday morning seminars, we learned more about the life and work of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel from her nephew, Alfred Hummel, who gave us an in-depth look at the masterpieces of the artist's student days. And Sister Claudia Maria presented a beautiful film about the famous artist who made her home and created her most epic artwork at the Convent of Siessen. Then members gathered for an exciting live auction hosted by a professional auctioneer. And we were treated to a lunchtime mini-concert by our own Little Violinist, Emily Grayce Brown, a 9-year-old member of the Mo-Kan Chapter. Master Artist and Ringmaster Extraordinaire, Ulrich Tendera, hosted Zirkus Zirkus, a dazzling afternoon under the big top with audience participation most definitely encouraged! Members took to the stage and dressed up as musicians, doctors, firefighters, and more - all in an afternoon's fun. Disney enchantment was everywhere - a beautiful Fairy Godmother made some amusing appearances. And Anita NuHummel, a comic collector, added to the merriment. The good times concluded with a gala dinner and sensational entertainment. The festivities began with serenading from a barbershop quartet right off Magic Kingdom's Main Street. We enjoyed circus entertainment from juggling to magic, plate spinning to fire eating. The Club presented $23,000 raised during the weekend, to Give Kids the World®, an organization that helps seriously ill children who wish to visit Disney World. Our generous donation was enough to make wishes come true and send five families on a trip to Disney. As we parted, members bid fond farewells to their new acquaintances and beloved friends. The 2011 Convention is now part of M.I. Hummel history. And we're already looking forward to our next big bash in 2013!

, Hummel® and M.I. Hummel Club®, in signature and/or block forms, are registered trademarks of Manufaktur Rödental GmbH, Germany.
M.I. Hummel figurines, plates and bells are copyrighted products. All products of Manufaktur Rödental GmbH, Germany, are design-patented and copyright protected. All trademarks are registered. © M.I. Hummel 2013. © Goebel 2013. © Disney 2013.