A brief History of The Lone Star Chapter #25
A meeting to organize a Texas Chapter of the IHC Collectors Club was held at the North Texas Antique Tractor & Engine Club 8th Annual Show, Samuel Farms, Mesquite, TX June 6, 1998. There were 24 interested, potential members present. Dale Fry gave the background of the IH Club and discussed the By-Laws. Glen Gambill made the motion that a Club be created and the motion was seconded by Bob Bauer. Our club was created with those simple actions.
The name "Lone Star Chapter" was voted on and approved by those present. Officers were nominated and the slate of: Dale Fry; President, Glen Gambill; Vice President, K.R. Withrow; Secretary/Treasurer and Directors: Gary Hudgens, Russell Rice, and Jim Becker were elected unanimously. Our application was then submitted to the National Board. The next meeting was set for August 29, 1998 at the Cook County Antique Tractor And Farm Machinery Club's 10th Annual show in Lindsay, TX.
By our meeting at the Lindsay show we had grown to 28 potential members. During this meeting, a set of By-Laws were presented and accepted. Ben Miller had designed and offered our present logo which was approved by all attendees and proudly displayed on each page of this web site.
In January 1999 we received official notice that the "Lone Star Chapter #25" of the International Collectors Club was approved and Chartered on December 12, 1998. The first official club meeting was held at the Collin County Farm Museum-McKinney Texas, March 27, 1999. Now we were officially off and running with 42 members in our club.
Our typical yearly program was voted to be; a spring meeting of the general membership; participate in 5 local shows; and hold a fall meeting of the general membership at which we elect directors. The shows selected to be 'sanctioned shows' were those held at: Paris, Mesquite, Traders Village, Lindsay and Temple. The selling of Club promotional items mainly supports the club as the dues are only $5 per year. A newsletter was approved to be published a minimum of 4 times a year just prior to each scheduled club meeting.
Growth of our club has been impressive. By 2000 we had 107 members; in 2001 we had 114; in 2002 we had 108; and in 2003 we had 118 members. In 2004, we had 120 members active. In 2005 and 2006 we had just over 150 members. To date, May, of 2007, we have 110 renewed memberships and more arrive each day. |