July 24, 2024, Varysburg, NY: The Genesee County Button Club hosted the annual Western NY Button Club picnic where approximately twenty-five collectors and guests from 3 participating clubs – Genesee County, Elmira, and Rochester trekked to Bryncliff Golf Resort for the indoor picnic.
The picnic theme “Hearts and Flowers” was well represented across the afternoon-long festivities. The centerpieces at each table featured Potted Coneflowers with paper heart decorations. Upon arriving, each guest was given a raffle ticket to win a huge basket full of button-related books and items, and “a button collectors field kit” full of various items every collector needs, such as tweezers, a magnifying glass, a black light for finding uranium buttons and a seam ripper among other fun goodies.
Members of the Genesee Club, led by Co-Presidents Karen Hise and Sharon Braund organized the picnic and their club donated items to create over 30 beautiful gift baskets and buttons for the basket raffle.
Some members took the opportunity to set up a table to sell buttons, others brought competition cards depicting their interpretation of the theme, Heart and Flowers. All attendees had the opportunity to vote for their favorite card. Seven Cards were submitted and Barbara won 1st place.
Between socializing, eating lunch, shopping, and voting on the competition cards, Pat Silvernail, President of the Elmira Button Club, thanked everyone for attending and talked about London’s Flower Girls during the Victorian Era. Pat injected some trivia along the way and recommended the book “A Memory of Violets: A Novel of London’s Flower Sellers” by Hazel Gaynor.
After Pat’s presentation, awards for the competition were given out, and winners of the items for the raffle were announced. It was a fun afternoon for all and great to see button friends.
Special thanks to Karen Hise, Sharon Braund, and Jennifer Covert.
