The AMICA meeting for the Heart of America Chapter was held the first
weekend in December in Grove, Oklahoma.  Ron and Mary Jo Bopp were the
hosts.  Other MMD'ers who are chapter members include Galen and Linda
Bird, John and Ellen Kadlec, Bill and Billie Pohl, and Rick McDowell.

Chapter members were invited to take part in the Pensacola Dam
Christmas parade and yacht flotilla on Saturday night.  Members with
mechanical music instruments were asked to be part of the parade and
demonstrate their machines for parade-goers.  Included were two Tangley
calliopes, one of them in a hearse driven by Gerald Koehler ;-), an OGM
monkey organ cranked by Galen Bird, and a mechanical monkey.

After watching the parade in the cold December lake air, members then
went to the Bopps' house and warmed themselves up with a bowl of Ron's
famous chili.  The guests spent the rest of the evening listening to
Ron's mechanical music collection and enjoying special entertainment:
one, an octet of mechanical apes (two of them more animated than the
rest) accompanied by delightful piano music.  Special guest former
sportscaster Marv Albert and his twin brother, dressed in their
favorite attire, entertained members with the most unusual rendition of
"Winter Wonderland" that we have ever heard.  The evening ended with a
gift exchange.

Following a brunch at the Bopps Sunday morning, the business meeting
for the Heart of America chapter was held.  Host Ron Bopp then
demonstrated some of the instruments in his collection, along with
other clangorous noisemakers.  (Our ears are still ringing).  The
meeting was adjourned at approximately noon.

This was the first AMICA meeting that I have attended, and I must say
that I was very impressed with the friendliness of the members.  I
especially want to thank John and Ellen Kadlec for allowing me to ride
with them to the parade and to the meeting; it was very much
appreciated.

I must comment though, that this particular AMICA chapter has an odd
welcoming ritual for prospective members such as myself.  The newcomer
is designated to ride in a hearse as part of the welcome.  If the
individual does not faint dead away ;-) after performing this feat,
then he or she is extended an invitation to join.

Thanks again, Ron and Mary Jo, and Heart of America chapter members,
for serving as hosts for this wonderful weekend.

Joyce Brite
Player Piano and Mechanical Music Exchange     * Buy - Sell - Trade *
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~brite/