July 19, 2022, Rush, NY: The Rochester Button Club hosted the annual Western NY button club picnic after a three-year hiatus due to Covid19. Around thirty collectors and guests from 3 participating clubs – Genesee County, Elmira, and Rochester came to the Wildwood Country Club in Rush, NY for the picnic.
The picnic theme “Color” was well represented across the afternoon-long festivities. The centerpieces at each table featured colorful button bouquets, a color wheel, and candies. Gift bags in various colors were picked up as members signed in and the color of the gift bag chosen coincided with a colored paper button at each table, designating where the member would sit. Each gift bag included candy and a very colorful plastic button embellished with a rainbow of pastes.
Members of the Rochester Button Club, led by President Linda Hickey, organized the picnic and donated items to create several beautiful gift baskets and buttons for a raffle.
Some members took the opportunity to set up a table to sell buttons, other members brought competition cards depicting their interpretation of the theme. All attendees had the opportunity to vote for their favorite card.
In between socializing, eating lunch, shopping, and voting on the competition cards, Linda Hickey thanked members for attending and made introductions of NY State Button Society Officers present; Beverly Hesse – current President, and Deborah Hendrickson – Past-President and an NBS Board Member. She then introduced Dale Doty who made a presentation about color. After the presentation, awards for the competition were given out, winners of the items for the raffle were announced and Deborah Hendrickson, President of the Fingerlakes Junior Club shared with members how Norah made a Girl Scout sash for the embroidered badges that she has earned by her participation in the monthly NBS online Junior button club, The Button Ups. In all, it was a fun afternoon for all.
