The summer PCA TX weekend began on Friday, June 4 at Hard Eight BBQ in Burleson, Texas. Twenty-one members enjoyed a mesquite smoked barbecue dinner with all the trimmings.
Saturday morning, thirty-one members and four guests gathered at Everman United Methodist
Church and began browsing weights and visiting with Guest Dealers William and Donna Pitt of William Pitt Paperweights & Art Glass [William Pitt Paperweights].
At 10 AM, President Ben Fields called the meeting to order.
Treasurer and Membership Chair Jan Whitley reported that the balance in the Sunny Lu Peer
Memorial Scholarship Fund and organization treasury. Membership stands at 63 representing
35 cities and 9 states.
Scholarship Chair Al Bates reported that he has not received any applications for a 2021
scholarship grant. An application form is posted on our website at [PCATX Scholarships], and
funds are available.
Webmaster Sam Terry reported that he has enhanced the security of our website and also
cleaned up the links. He encouraged members to visit the website and he welcomed
suggestions.
On behalf of the membership, President Fields presented Allen Boyd with a set of
decorative glasses made by members Kathy Poeppel and Dick Moiel at their Houston
Studio Glass [Houston Studio Glass]. The gift was given in gratitude for Boyd’s four years
of service as PCATX president.
Members voted to continue streaming the meetings on Zoom. Also, in advance of the
meetings, members will be sent a link to forward to prospective members so they can watch
the meeting’s afternoon presentations.
Members presented their Show and Tell weights. One member relayed the story of the
commemorative weight she and her husband commissioned from David Graeber. It is a replica
of their daughter’s beautiful wedding bouquet. Another member presented a monogram memorial
paperweight that was discovered in an antique shop. Experts in the Paperweight Heaven
Facebook group identified it as possibly Meisenthal, French, 1880–1914, from the
Alsace-Lorraine region.
We auctioned off the second paperweight donated by Alison Ruzsa [Alison Ruzsa] in gratitude for her 2019 PCA TX scholarship. The proceeds will benefit the PCATX Scholarship Fund.
After the lunch break, winning names were drawn for Door Prizes.
Guest Dealer William Pitt introduced the debut of the Mike and Sue Hunter video,
Paperweight Making. Filmed in 2020 at their Twists Glass Studio [Twists Glass Studio] in
Selkirk, this fascinating video demonstrated the steps in the making of a concentric weight,
from the set-up of the canes to the final polishing.
Saturday evening, Margret and Ben Fields provided a delicious lasagna dinner at the church.
They also hosted members at a Brunch and Open House on Sunday morning. Their breakfast
treats, fantastic collection, and warm hospitality were a highlight of the weekend.
