Happy New Year Everyone!
We thought we’d take a few moments to send good wishes for
- Christmas Party
- Wizard of Oz Festival
- Members Officer
- Did you know?
- This Date in History
- A New Years Message from Judy
Christmas
Party Breaks Record
Every year the Judy Garland Children’s Museum has a free party
for the children and families in the Grand Rapids area. The party, known as the
“Ho Ho Hoedown,” boasts crafts, games, cookie decorating, horse-drawn wagon
rides, live music and a visit from Santa Claus. In addition, this year, Denise Rodgers, a representative from Project
Read ISD-318 partnered with the event to distribute more than 200 free
children’s books
.
For many years, Children First has sponsored the Ho Ho Hoedown.
This year we broke a record with 297 attendees. That’s a third more than any
previous years. Needless to say, a good time was had by all.
The 2016
Wizard of Oz Festival
This year, the “Wizard of Oz Festival” -- previously known as
the Judy Garland Festival-- will take place from Thursday, June 9th through
Saturday, June 11th.
As 2016 begins, and we look forward to June, we’d like to ask
what ideas you might have for this year’s festival. What would you like to see?
What events do you think would attract visitors?
This year marks 102 years ago that Frank and Ethel Gumm first
moved to Grand Rapids. October of 2016 will be the 90th anniversary
of the date on which the Gumm family bid Grand Rapids farewell as they headed
off to “sunny California.”
Just write your ideas down and email them to us via: jgarland@uslink.net
We have some ideas in the works as well, but you never know,
your idea might be the one chosen!
Members
are Important – A Special Officer
Our members are very special people. They help keep us going.
They share their ideas and emotional support, as well as monetary support.
As a great museum in a rural area, we have few visitors
between October 1st and May 1st, so we really depend on our outside
contributors. Thank you to all of you who joined this year, gave a donation, or
renewed your membership. You are tremendous; you make a difference!
For those who have been waiting for whatever reason, here’s a
little nudge. Anyone who purchases a membership or renews their membership from
now through January 31st, 2016, we’d like to offer you a unique
picture of Judy.
If, by chance, you have already joined or renewed your
membership or given a donation after November 20th, and would like a
picture, please contact us with the date of your purchase/donation and we will
be happy to send you a picture as well.
Thanks very much. Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
Did you
know?
During the process of entering the museum donations and
holdings into our new computer program, the Museum Archive room has undergone
some changes. In the process, we’ve also discovered some “new” and interesting
items.
Did you know that one of the first Judy Garland fan clubs
(1955-1965) put out a newsletter known as the Garland Gazette? This periodical
contained stories by fans who followed Judy around and got to meet her. They
also contained copies of photos that some fans took themselves. These gazettes
are fairly rare now.
In the November 1965 issue, we discovered that fans, knowing
how Judy loved children, sponsored Korean orphan toddler, Lee Sun Ja, in Judy’s
name. Sadly, this little girl, after suffering the deprivations existing in
Korea after the Korean War, was not well and died of pneumonia in September of
1965.
In this issue of the Garland Gazette, we learn that the fans want
to sponsor another child in Judy’s name. A little three year-old boy named Shin
Joon Ho. A letter from one fan states that with 300 fans in the club and all
the money spent on Judy’s concerts and records, they can certainly afford to
support a child. The letter states… “… but if they really love Judy as much as
they say... – don’t they love her enough to do this in her name?”
An interesting bit of history and something to think about.
What
Happened on this Date
Do you ever wonder what you would find if you stepped back on
this day in history?
Here are a few dates for you:
January 1917 – Mr. and Mrs. John Milne came to visit Mrs. F.A.
Gumm, their daughter. The following week, the Gumms entertained Frank Gumm’s
sister, Mrs. O. McPeak, who was visiting from Alabama.
 |
| Mary Jane (l) in her Charleston dress & Jimmy (4) in her song outfit, Baby in the middle |
January 5, 1926 – Misses Mary Jane and Virginia Gumm sang and
danced the Charleston on the stage of the New Grand between shows. Later in the
show, Virginia sang a solo. Where was 2 ½ year old Baby Gumm? We think they
left her at home! Obviously, in January of 1926, Virginia was the star of the
show.
January 1956 - The concept for Judy’s television show, “Judy
Garland in Concert” was announced.
January 9, 1966 – For the first time, Judy watched “The Wizard
of Oz” on television all the way through. She said that previously she’d spent
so much time comforting crying children she hadn’t been able to watch the film!
Love and Peace for the New Year
Judy
Garland’s News Year’s Wish
As your new year begins in a world full of division and
troubles, we’d like to remind you of the words Judy Garland spoke over fifty
years ago. They are timeless; and seem as appropriate now as they did then.
 |
| Courtesy the Judy Garland Experience |
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