Possible Gift Shop Items

The Convention Planning Board was getting goofy and one of us (I won't rat her out but her name rhymes with Badhika.) got to suggesting that in addition to shirts and bags we should also maybe get B-T themed Christmas ornaments to offer for sale. This was my response:

Christmas ornaments [Badhika]?
Nope, I need more capitalization and question marks.

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS, [Badhika]????? REALLY?????
There, better...

I want a commemorative butter dish and a knit stocking cap and a convention ottoman.

If we make an ornament that will be all the rage next ornament exchange and then the thank you notes will be off the wall.

"Dear Betsy, I relish the memory of us getting tipsy at the convention. Love, Winona"

"Dear Maid at the Hilton, I told you those conventioneers were a messy bunch to clean up after! Puny and tony, but messy!"

"Dear Mr. Thumbler, the time we shared at the convention will live on in my memory. Love, Mrs. Main-Whittiker. PS: Tell no one."

If you would care to put your pithy bon mots in the comments, I would be thrilled.

The Logo!

Greta Huls did an amazing job on the convention logo! Well done Greta. I look forward to seeing this on a ton of things!

Save the Date!

The Betsy-Tacy Convention will be held at the Alltel Center in Mankato Minnesota from July 17 to 20, 2009!

A Little Deep Valley Tour

Goodness, this is a tiny little picture! I thought it would be bigger!
Since there isn't much to report yet and I am still so excited about the upcoming convention I thought I would post this link to a possible tour of Deep Valley that I made on google maps.
A. It starts at the site of the Melborne Hotel, now the Holiday Inn.
B. We then go past the Carnegie Library, past the churches and Carney's house.
C. To the site of the high school house which is a horrible parking lot.
D. Past Lincoln Park (that pie-shaped wedge - why is it I can't think of Lincoln Park without mentally adding "pie-shaped wedge"?)
E. Past Tib's chocolate colored (or as I used to think about it "chocolate covered") house.
F. To Little Syria and Mr. Meechum's house. Past Emily's slough
G. To the site of Emily's house. And along the river back to the hotel.

Early Convention Ideas

Well, we won't be at the Melborne Hotel, but we will be trying to recreate as much of the Betsy Tacy feeling as we can. Here are some of the ideas that are currently on the agenda as we are planning. Just be advised that things can turn on a dime. Feel free to comment about what sounds good to you.
Some of these have already been changed and as soon as we have finalized them we will post an agenda!

Betsy-Tacy Convention

July 2009

Working Agenda

"FORGET-ME-NOTS"

Friday

Welcoming speech/Keynote address
Dessert bar and Ice breaker/Game playing

Saturday (day 1)
Traditional Ray family breakfast (at Hotel) with short welcoming speech.
Exploring Deep Valley sites and Betsy and Tacy House tours.
Lunch at Page/Sibley/Minneopa Falls (Weenie roast or Picnic)
Optional children's program
Speed scrabble/charades/rummy room for stay-behinds)
More Exploring D.V. sites Betsy and Tacy House tours
Sunday Night Lunch
BT House Restoration Presentation
Descendants Panel
Optional "Perfectly Awful Girl" Activities

Sunday (day 2)
Continental Breakfast
FREE TIME - LUNCH ON YOUR OWN
Optional Small Group Breakouts:
Essay Contest
Hat Making
NEWBETSY Games
Optional trip to Point Pleasant and Madison (Murmuring Lake) for lunch
Afternoon Cemetery tour in staggered time
Optional Small Group Breakouts for those not attending the Cemetery Tour
Great World Talk by Julia Nephew
Great World Dinner
Costume and Hat Parade
Silent Auction Results
Essay Contest Results
Trivia Contest
BT Era Music
Optional "Perfectly Awful Girl" Activities

Monday (day 3)
Continental breakfast
Small group sign-ups to visit local churches
Religion in BT with Linda Gelsing
Betsy's Wedding Banquet and Official Farewell

So what do you think?

We're on our way!

This is the first post in the convention blog! This blog will be maintained by the BT Convention planning committee. If you would like to get in on the fun, feel free to leave a comment.

So far we are trying to set up a schedule and get a budget together. Soon and very soon we will know about the availability of the convention center and hotels in Mankato. We will keep you updated as things progress.