Chairman's Column

Plans are moving ahead for the 2009 NDGA Convention in Danbury Connecticut. If you haven't already done so, mark the date on your calendar - July 11th and 12th. This is the first time the NDGA has come to the Northeast, so if you've been looking for a reason to come to New York, how about being a part of history in the making? (As if NY pizza isn't enough of a reason to head East....)

The convention will take place in the Feldman Arena at the O'Neill Athletic and Convocation Center on the campus of Western Connecticut State University. If you follow NCAA basketball, then you've seen the venue as this is where WCSU plays all its home games. But in addition to sporting events, Feldman Arena is host to concerts, home shows, graduations, an annual Fly-Fishing show and even the Harlem Globetrotters. With 42,000 square feet and seating for 2,800, we should have plenty of room to display some magnificent glass.

WCSU is located right off Route 84 at exit 4. It's 4 miles from the New York/Connecticut border. It's easy to get to and there's plenty of free parking once you arrive. If you're flying in, you have your choice of at least 5 major airports in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut - all within 60 miles of Danbury. There are also plenty of places to stay once you get here. (We'll have a list of motels in the area later on, so stay tuned.) And of course, there's the food ... you name it, we've got it.

If this is your first trip to the Northeast, you really should plan on spending a few extra days to take in all that New York City has to offer. It's less than 90 minutes from the Convention by train - even shorter by car. Why not take in a Broadway show or a concert at Lincoln Center while you're here? If you prefer museums, take your pick: we've got the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History, and the Cloisters, just to name a few. You can always take a walk in Central Park or go shopping on Fifth Avenue. And ice skating at Rockefeller Center is a fun thing to do on a hot summer day. There's the Bronx Zoo if animal life is your thing, or the Coney island Aquarium if you enjoy the sea. And did I mention the food? From Little Italy to Chinatown, you're sure to find whatever you're in the mood for.

Collectors in the Northeast are excited to have this opportunity to share their collections with the rest of the glass collecting community. We already have commitments for the following: Florentine 1 & 2 in multiple colors, blue and yellow June, Navarre, Mayfair in assorted colors, Carnival Glass, Wave Crest, Marbles, Figural Glass Animals, Ruby Glass, Kitchen shakers, Versailles, and that's only from the people who were able to decide which of their collections they'd like to display. Of course, with 42,000 square feet, we've always got room for more and so this is an open call for convention displays. If you would like to share your collection with the rest of us, we'd love to have you. You can email Steve Moniz at greenman2@si.rr.com or me at convention@ndga.net and we'll be happy to add you to the list.

Keep watching this column and the NDGA website for convention updates. Please feel free to contact me at convention@ndga.net to volunteer to be a part of things or with any suggestions or questions you might have.

Oh, and yes, I've got a long list of great places to eat...

Rosemary