Pin It On Tuesday: How do you display your pins?

Thanks, Julianna Hart, for the inspiration of this post.

How many pins did you trade for, or collect, at convention? How do you display them? Laid out nice and neat to take photos, just throw them into a fanny pack, or put them into a nice framed display?

We’ve had a tradition of creating pins to represent our clubs or conventions. They could be president themes, features located in the town of the club, when a member goes past active or passes away, or regarding a social or fundraising event.

There are A LOT of pins, so we are also going to have a weekly feature showing them off here. Let us know of any pins you would like to share, the story behind the pin, if you know the year, how you got it (any fun trade stories), or other memory you connect to that pin (for example, it’s a pin that represents your term as club president or going past active). Even if it’s just a neat pin you like, please share.

Month of Highlights for the 1920’s

With the start of September this week, it’s 10 months until our 2022 Convention – Centennial Celebration (JUL 13 – JUL 17, 2022)!

We are going to switch from weekly themed memory prompts, to sharing the Active 20-30 timeline. Each month we’ll focus on one decade and have posts on timeline of events, photos, stories, and member spotlights.

Our story begins in 1922, in two different cities. Aberdeen, Washington and Sacramento, California.

20-30 Women & Fashion

The women auxiliary clubs and some current clubs have held fashion shows through the years. They have offered these shows as part of the women’s events during conventions, or as part of fundraising events that the men’s clubs were hosting, or as their own events.

“Balcony Scene at Brookdale lodge yesterday during the 20-30 Anns’ fashion show-luncheon features Mrs. William Martine modeling a pink and white checked tissue gingham frock from Rittenhouse’s. Interested spectators are (l-r) Mesdames Dolly Thornton of the Albuquerque, N. Mex., “Thunderbirds,” Dina Madison, Nancy Arno and Opel Napolitano of the Coronado “Beachcombers.” Nearly 100 of the 20-30 convention delegates’ wives attended the mid-day event, arranged for their entertainment by the Santa Cruz 20-30 Anns headed by Mrs. Dick Hackbarth. Miss Susan Bronson, reigning Miss California, was a special guest, accompanied by her mother, Mrs. Ray Bronson of San Lorenzo. Tomorrow the 20-30 wives are invited on a sightseeing bus tour and in the evening will return to Brookdale lodge with their husbands for the closing installation of officers and dinner-dance beginning at 7 o’clock.”

“20-30 Anns Looks At Fashion”. Santa Cruz Sentinel, 23 June 1960, Newspapers.com. Accessed 21 July 2021.

Fashion (July 19-25, 2021)

Time to pull out all your 20-30 shirts. Do you have a favorite? Have you collected shirts from the same event each year? How about all the costumes you wore at events? What other club fashion accessories have you collected through the years? There have been vests, hats, bracelets, rings, necklaces, tie clips, belt buckles, cuff links, etc.

“Active 20-30 Dominican Republic wardrobe from the 1960’s displayed during their 2015 National Convention” (thanks for sharing Geoffrey Cheung).

(These weekly themes are inspired by 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks)

20-30 Club World War II Memorial Plaque

During the Twentieth Annual “Victory” Convention, August 19 – 25, 1946 in Sacramento, California a memorial plaque was reveled.

On Wednesday, August 21st, represented the opening Plenary Session in the State Assembly Chambers. The location of this gather was particularly convenient and appropriate. The sea of delegate’s serious faces silently announced to the leaders in the rostrum that they were ready for business and prepared to map the year’s future. National President Jim Vernetti presided and after “America” and the Pledge to the Flag, Past National President Abbe Strunck of San Antonio, Texas, gave the invocation. Committee and officer reports followed until the time had arrived for the Period of Remembrance for the 20-30ians who had given their lives in World War II. The audience consisted principally of delegates and officials with a few 20-30ians and visitors who had realized such a ceremony was to take place. In view of the program which followed, absolutely every person in attendance at the convention should have been present because without having witnessed the Period of Remembrance they returned to their homes without the memory of something which would never leave them. The celebrated Convention Bureau Stringed Ensemble with its women’s choir augmented the solemnly conducted ceremony consisting of Invocation, Unveiling of the Memorial, reading of the names of the casualties, the Eulogy and “Lest We Forget”. The Creation Hymn, Green Cathedral, Lord’s Prayer, My Buddy, and Day is Done, was sung in the soft clear tones of bells tolling in the distance. Only the light tap of the gavel opened the half-hour period, and only “Taps” and another light touch of the gavel closed it. The assembly slowly wended its way out, speechless and silent in reverence of that which had just been witnessed.

(Twenty-Thirtian, October 1946, pp11-12)

In Memoriam

As listed in January 1946 issue.
The Association of 20-30 Clubs, permanent War Memorial plaque with the names of war casualties inscribed thereon.
54 clubs reported 75 casualties.

Rank – Name – Location – Club Number

• T/Sgt. Jesse W. Andrew – Alice #239
• Lt. Robert M. Arthur – Corpus Christi #199
• Lt. Herb Baker – Sacramento #1
• Sgt. Robert E. Baly – El Centro #115
• CM 2/c William E. Bates – Beaumont #185
• Joe Bates – Fresno #12
• 2nd Lt. Mayo Bills – Houston #192
• Joseph H. Boyle – Madera #160
• Capt. Frank D. Bradford – Fresno #12
• Lt. (j.g.) Donald R. Brown – Healdsburg #215
• 1st Lt. Loren Bubar – San Luis Obispo #93
• Lt. Wilmer L. Buzan – Corona #26
• Lawrence Chenoweth, Jt. – Bakersfield #27
• Pvt. Kenneth Cole – Flagstaff #142
• Chf. Pharm. Nick Colabella – Santa Rosa #50
• SC/2 Edwin J. Cook – Redding #143
• Pfc. Woodrow Cornett – S.W. Los Angeles #206
• Joe DeClark – S.W. Los Angeles #206
• Duray Dorsey – San Bernardino #3
• Lt. Ernest Emery – Kingman #157
• Pfc. John W.R. Engholm – Gallup #180
• Maj. John Evans – Seattle #215
• Lt. Pierre Ferran – Napa #57
• Claude Fleming – Carlsbad #202
• Lt. James Fowler – Santa Barbara #42
• Warren Feeland – Bakersfield #27
• Robert Fulton – Idaho Falls #114
• Robert Gardner – Patterson #91
• Lt. Daniel H. Gatti – Westwood #200
• Lt. Waldorf George – Pomona #9
• Lt. S. Kenneth Graff – Alhambra #117
• 1st Lt. Edward Hampton – Taft #77
• 2nd Lt. O.W. Handy – Riverside #10
• S/Sgt. Norbert Hans – Redding #143
• Sgt. Preston Harris – Corpus Christi #199
• 1st Lt. William L. Hart, Jr. – Kingman #157
• Lt. John H. Hartsfield – Gallup #180
• Charles Heller – San Antonio #167
• 1st Lt. George B. Herbert – Houston #192
• Corp. William L. Hoyt – Ontario #13
• Lt. George Hudnutt, Jr. – Sacramento #1
• Edward J. Jacobs – Flagstaff #142
• S 1/c Arthur F. Johnsen – Huntington Park #16
• Lt. Leonard A. Johnson – Corpus Christi #199
• Lt. George Jones – Sacramento #1
• Dave Kaufman – San Antonio #167
• Lt. A.S. Kidd – Santa Monica #233
• Ernest Krohnert – Mt. Shasta #203
• Ens. William Laws – Santa Rosa #50
• Lt. Robert T. Marquess – Carlsbad #202
• 1st Lt. Pike B. Martin, Jr – Fresno #12
• Lt. Admiral McDonald – San Antonio #167
• Maynard Melmick – Van Nuys #207
• Lt. Byron Michaelson – Huntington Park #16
• George Moore – Artesia #231
• Capt. John Mulvaney, Jr. – Alameda #183
• Sgt. Floyd Oehlerking – Long Beach #29
• Lt. Frederick H. Palmer – Palo Alto #25
• Pfc. Sanator J. Passarino – Healdsburg #205
• Pfc. Clifford E. Patton – San Francisco-Park Presidio #246
• Lt. William H. Paulsen, Jr. – Salinas #44
• Ivan Richardson – Bakersfield #27
• Richard Riley, M.D. – Albuquerque #103
• Lt. Glen Salisbury – Idaho Falls #114
• Harry Schellhase – San Antonio #167
• Lee J. Shudde – Houston #192
• Rm 1/c David Solari – Chowchilla #249
• Pvt. Joseph Spina – Los Banos #108
• Lt. Jack R. Stewart – San Antonio #167
• Corp. Garth B. Tillotsen – Ogden #179
• Pfc. Marshall Weimer – Napa #57
• Lt. Stanley Wells – Wilmington #177
• Charles Wiese – Patterson #91
• Lt. Jack Wiles, Jr. – Burbank #127
• Lt. (j.g.) David Wright – Sacramento #1

As listed in May 1946 issue.
Additional war casualties have been reported to the Association of 20-30 Clubs. Following names will be added to the plaque.

Rank – Name – Location – Club Number

• Foster Beal – Clovis #225
• Bud Edwards – Highland Park #226
• Lt. Jack Hodgins – Santa Barbara #42
• Bob Jensen – Highland Park #226
• RM 3/c Howard Keffer – Brawley #150
• Bob Maxon – Highland Park #226
• Lt. Col. Herbert Mills – El Paso #96
• Ray McGinley – Santa Ana #22
• Lt. Don Riley Powell – Fallon #40
• 2d. Lt. Bert Ross – Santa Rosa #50
• Carl Schreider – Clovis #225
• Dr. H.J. Seyfarth – Turlock #68
• John Shield – Clovis #225
• S/Sgt. John C. Walden – El Paso #96

 

Origins of a Tradition: Pennies A Day

Penny-A-Day Cans Sent to Clubs

Most of you are asking yourself “What is Penny-A-Day?” Recently we sent each club a new” Penny-

A-Day can for use at your meetings. That’s all you do with the can – pass it around the room and the members deposit any loose change. This money is then presented to the delegates at the National Convention to be placed in a restricted account at the National level for charity purposes.

But first, let me tell you how it all began. In the 1950’s, when the organization was still Active 20-30 International, with no National associations, the funds from the clubs went to fight Rheumatic Fever and funds were deposited into the International Rheumatic Fever Foundation.

At the 1965 International Convention, the delegates voted to change their support to children who were deaf. They set up the Active 20-30 International Charity Foundation, Inc. and the project was known as “Project Deaf”. The cans appeared on the scene in 1968.

In 1974, the International organization changed their emphasis to the “Foster Parents Program”. (Throughout the organization’s history they have assisted Aid to Scouting, General Child Welfare and a program working with the FBI fighting juvenile delinquency with the “Keys in the Car” project.)

In 1981, the association created National Associations, The Active 20-30/U.S. & Canada, Inc. was created. The International Charity did nothing for sometime, so in 1989 our National association created the “Active 20-30 Foundation, Inc.”

We do not support any particular charity on the National level except for maybe the National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse.

So to re-educate all the members (and I’m sure many of our clubs have never seen the Can), we have sent new cans for your use. “That’s all we ask – a penny-a-day for the kids”. Assign the responsibility of passing the can to your Sgt-of-Arms.

Your National Board of Trustees for the Foundation has made it a goal to collect enough funds to equal the amount of members we have in the association. That could amount to about $6,000. In the history of our association, we have yet to achieve that goal. Wouldn’t it be a great testimony to have that amount collected at the National Convention?

The funds received go into a restricted account in the Active 20-30 Foundation. These funds are not used for general operating expenses. Our intent is to build up enough money to live off the interest. Thereby, we could begin distributing funds to child welfare projects on a national basis or even to our clubs as a matching grant program.

So, get to work! Past that can! We hope every club is sending a delegate to the National Convention in Portland where each club will make a presentation of funds at the General Meeting.

Yes, we pay dues. Yes, we pay for meals at our meetings. And, yes, we give our sweat to making our projects successful but this is a way for each member to directly give to charity – for just $3.65 for the year. Here is one tradition that binds all of our clubs together.

(The Active Twenty-Thirtian, 1992, p3)

 

Keith H Hall’s 1954 Speech

The gentleman on the right (in the white shirt) is Keith H Hall. He was a President of the Active Club of Sacramento in 1953. The next year, 1954, he participated in the Public Speaking Contest for his district but did not win. He did, however, get elected as Lieutenant Governor for District 6.

One of our objectives is leadership, and what better way to work on that then through self development with Public Speaking. It seems that each year, there was a list of topics they could pick from, and then deliver in a speech contest. Below is the speech that Mr. Hall gave during the District 6 Convention.

 

 

Topic Sentence:
Active International in order to succeed in its conquest for permanent growth and expansion needs a powerful secret weapon.

Body:
If Active Club is to achieve its deserved place in the orbit of other great international service clubs, we had better stop right here and now and analyze our present position and design a plan to ensure that we arrive at our destination.

The course we are now following is apparent. The stronger clubs are increasing our membership by chartering new clubs, but the weaker clubs are offsetting this growth by losing members faster than their big brothers can charter. Now the conclusion to this cycle is obvious. But this need not be.

No solvent establishment sets its sights on a single period, but rather aims at the horizon of the years ahead. That is why I suggest that the International resolve itself to a long range, three-year plan.

The first (1) year dedicated to the bolstering of the membership of the existing clubs.

The second (2) to the exploiting of the service and welfare to the communities of those same existing clubs.

The third (3) to the expanding of Active International to the far corners of our unlimited boundaries.

Now let’s take a look at these yearly plans separately. First, I say we must strengthen our existing clubs. From the reports I have seen there are very few clubs that have such enormous memberships that it renders them unwieldy. But rather I would say that the truth is just about the opposite. If we are to succeed in adding more stories to our International edifice, it might be wise to check our foundations first. Some of it may be in need of repairs by now.

A leaning tower of Active Clubs, might provide a curious interest to a touring prospective member but to what purpose could it serve him? Once we are sure that we have our foundations in good order, and enough reinforcing steel, the sky’s the limit.

Now after we have accomplished our first goal we can turn confidently to the next. The purpose of the 2nd year is to harness this new-found energy and direct it to the main objectives for the welfare of its community and the progress of its members. The staging of local and international welfare projects will sink our roots deeper in those same existing communities. Then and only after we have accomplished our first 2 goals do we turn our sights to the expanding of ideas to the new surrounding communities.

Then we shall find that with this added manpower and new-born energy we can and will charter bigger and stronger clubs. For if we build carefully, slowly, and painstakingly we will have found our secret weapon for success.

Then in the using of this modern weapon in these modern times, we will no longer just be ACTIVE but radioactive. And in a correct, logical sequence we shall set off a contagious chain reaction, that will discharge a perpetual energy in forms of enthusiasm, progress, and goodwill.

And we shall let the “Geiger counters” of public opinion, our own progress, growth and expansion be the measurer of our success.

I thank you.

(Thank you to the family of Keith H Hall for the donated items).

You can read about his life here: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/fair-oaks-ca/keith-hall-5358104

The First 5 Conventions of 20-30

Here’s a little tidbit from the 20-30 history files

The first year the Association of 20-30 Clubs (as the Active 20-30 was then known) started having convention meetings was December 11, 1926 in Sacramento, California. About 15 members from 7 clubs attended. At that meeting, they approved and welcomed the 8th club into the Association, which was Reno, Nevada. The first club formed out of the state of California.

1927 had 3 more convention meetings held for the Association of 20-30 clubs to get together and members could have a merry time and approve more clubs into it’s organization. Here’s a brief note of those conventions:

April 9-10, 1927 – Second convention meeting held in San Bernardino, California

– Resolution was introduced by San Bernardino which proposed the division of the member clubs into district groups.

– Standard Constitution for member clubs was adopted

August 13-14, 1927 – Third convention meeting held in Reno, Nevada

– Changes made in the Association’s constitution and By-Laws, a brief outline of which follows: New delegates will be elected and will meet on the second Saturday of next December. Thereafter an annual convention will be held between the 15th of August and the 15th of September each year. The elected officers of the Association will be a President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer. Immediately after his election, the President shall divide the territory embraced by the Association into districts and shall appoint a District Governor to supervise club activities in each district, they to serve at the pleasure of the President.

– The Twenty-Thirtian was authorized as the official publication of the Association, with Ed Cain appointed as Editor. It will be published monthly and one copy will be sent to each club for each active member on its rolls.

December 10, 1927 – Fourth convention meeting held in Fresno, California

– By the time of this convention meeting, 18 clubs had been formed and accepted into the organization. And about 100 members attended this convention. Quite a difference from the 15 at the first one.

August 1928 – Fifth convention meeting held in Stockton, California

Sacramento Active International Convention 1947

Surprised Discovery: Not only was there a Sacramento Active Club, but they had a Convention in 1947, one year after the Sacramento 20-30 Club hosted their Convention.

I knew there were separate Active and 20-30 Clubs in California before the organizations merged, but I had no clue there were both in my hometown.Caption: “The Sacramento Convention Picture, taken in the lobby of the Hotel Senator toward the close of a highly successful convention, gives just a suggestion of the festive spirit which prevailed. In the center foreground (beside the saw) is Active’s First Lady, Irene Moore, and Bob Moore, newly installed President of Active International. A portion of the party was “elsewhere”, unfortunately, when the picture was taken. Also, apologies to those on the edges of the group who are not flattered by the “distortion””.

History of Active 20-30 International (part 2)

The History of Active 20-30 International

(quick recap of how two clubs merged into one)

Active 20-30 International had its actual beginnings in 1922 when young men in two widely separated communities of the United States saw the need for a service club for young men. They found that established service clubs were dominated by older men, run by older men and whose officers were invariably much older men.

This realization led those groups of ambitious young men to stray away from existing groups and organize a club of their own, a club wherein young men would have a chance to engage actively in service to their communities; a club where young ideas, backed by enthusiasm and the energy of youth, could share in civic responsibilities on an equal basis with clubs composed of older men.

These pioneers of young men’s service clubs were located in Aberdeen, Washington where Active International was formed and in Sacramento, California, where 20-30 International had its beginnings.

Both 20-30 International and Active International where chartered members of the World Council of Young Men’s Service Clubs. John Armenia, Joe Crowe and Arnie Scheldt of Active and Dr. James Vernetti, Henry Heyl and Ray Fletcher of 20-30 were among those who fostered the World Council movement up to its formal beginning in 1945.

In 1959 President Norm Morrison of 20-30 and President Ken Helling of Active exchanged a letter and renewed the long standing proposal that these two almost identical young men’s service clubs should merge.

Throughout 1959 and 1960 meetings were held between the two groups, culminating in the proposed Constitution, and resolution to be presented to the 1960 conventions of each organization.

At the 20-30 International Convention held in Santa Cruz, CA in 1960, the delegates unanimously adopted the merger proposal and the Constitution. One month later, the delegates at the Active international Convention in Calgary, Alberta, also unanimously adopted the propositions.

Therefore, on August 1, 1960, Active and 20-30 became Active 20- 30 International.

During the year of the merger, Active 20-30 had 7,500 members from 365 clubs in Canada, USA, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and Cuba.

The first convention of Active 20-30 International was held in Tucson, AZ, July 10-14, 1961, where the Constitution and By-Laws were officially adopted.

Jack Kummert was elected President; Federico G. Lugo as First Vice-President; James Robertson as Second Vice-President. Clint McClure and Owen Barnes, the last presidents of 20-30 and Active respectively, stayed as members of the International Directors Council as Immediate Past Presidents.

Other members of the First Council of Directors of Active 20-30 International were: Ray Manges, Area 1; Norm Jensen, Area 2; Skeet Glidewell, Area 3; Forrest K. Stewart, Area 4; Roy Stype, Area 5; Emilio Pérez-Banuet, Area 6; Joaquin Bours, Associate Director of Area 6; Angel Moreno, Area 7 and Bob Baumgartner, Area 8.