The Early Years
The history of beer can collecting and the Beer Can Collectors of America in Pittsburgh started in 1972 with three North Hills’ youths, a Pittsburgh Brewing Company sales representative, and a soon-to-depart BCCA member. Pittsburgh’s first BCCA member was Charlie Miller #30, who introduced the hobby to two high school students, Bruce Nist #396 and Ken Conner #448. Charlie moved to Baltimore shortly afterward and was instrumental in founding the Chesapeake Bay Chapter in 1974. In Pittsburgh, Bruce Nist quickly established a network of trading partners through the mail and was well on his way to building a large collection before he knew that there were other collectors in his own neighborhood. Ken Conner actually started collecting beer cans with his cousin, Dave Haberman, who was later to become BCCA member #2085, and for a year the two "shared" one collection. Through the BCCA, the new collectors met Walt Wolff, a Pittsburgh Brewing Company employee, who had been given the task of answering the ever-increasing number of collector’s letters that the brewery was receiving. Walt was instrumental in helping them increase their collections and make contacts with collectors in other cities. Nist and Wolff would later form a partnership, selling cans, via mail order, to collectors throughout the country. The unifying link to the BCCA for the Pittsburgh collectors came from a college student who became a can collector while he was away at college. In the summer of 1972, Jim Cyphers #487, moved back to Pittsburgh from the University of Michigan, contacted the local BCCA members and began holding "trade sessions" in his Carnegie apartment building. These were sometimes held in the building’s party room and at other times in Cyphers’ apartment. The trade sessions brought together the Pittsburgh collectors for the first time, and were the beginnings of the Olde Frothingslosh Chapter. In November of that year, the group sent in their chapter application to the BCCA. The Chapter continued to hold monthly meetings at the Carnegie apartment building, and even advertised one party room session in the BCCA News Report as a "Semi-National Convention". In April of 1973, the BCCA recognized the Olde Frothingslosh group as its eleventh Chapter. The twelve original members of the Chapter were: Jim Cyphers #487 Tim Gray #1744, Bruce Nist #396, Don Beynon #968, Ken Conner #442, Joe Dugan #1030, Dave Haberman #2085, Jack Dugan #1068, Joe Cseripko #956, Mark Wasylik #1020, Dick Bannon #910 and Stanley Douglas #1648 In the summer of 1973, the Chapter held its first session away from Cypher’s apartment building, sponsoring a trade session in North Park, which was attended by two dozen collectors. That fall, at the BCCA Cincinnati Canvention, the Chapter made a token bid for the 1975 Canvention, but was defeated by Des Moines, Iowa. Building on the success of the North Park Session, the Chapter went on to sponsor the August 1974 Swapothon on the loading docks at Pittsburgh Brewing Company. That session attracted around 100 collectors from as far away as Connecticut, South Carolina, Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, and New York. The show featured an appearance by Marsha Majors, Miss Olde Frothingslosh. 1974 saw Walt Wolff become a regular contributor to the BCCA News Report. He authorized an article on the Sir Lady Frothingslosh can in November and two articles the following year giving a composite of Pittsburgh Brewing cans. Reorganization & the 70’s Boom 1975 found the Chapter faltering. The Chapter President had been accused of improprieties, which caused dissension and a split between the members, and for nearly a year no sessions were held. An initial effort to make changes through an election of new officers failed when Cyphers was reelected as Chapter President. However, it became increasingly obvious that reorganization was the only hope for the Chapter, and in December of that year another election was held after a Fox Chapel trade session. Will Hartlep #3109 was elected President and Newsletter Editor. Dave Haberman was elected Vice President, Jan Kirkpatrick #3269 became Secretary, and Ken Kramer #1894 became Treasurer. Will and Dave would hold their positions for the next six years.
This was also a period of dramatic increase in the hobby, not only in Pittsburgh, but nationally as well. Chapter membership grew from 39 in 1973 to l00 in 1976. Olde Frothingslosh’s "come-back" session in June 1976 in South Park drew 165 attendees, a Chapter record that stood for twenty years. A few months later, at a session that was only advertised locally, attendance was at 125. Over twenty Olde Frothers went to the BCCA Philadelphia Canvention that year, including Ken Connor, whose Flat Top Display won Best of Category and Best Overall Display. Bob and Jeanette Bendula, Mr. and Mrs. #924, won first place in the Miscellaneous Display category. Also that year, Dave Haberman and Will Hartlep were asked by the BCCA to write the National Display Guidelines, which were in effect for the next twelve years. In 1977, increased session attendance forced the Chapter to move to larger surroundings, and for the next five years it held regular sessions at the 125-table Castle Shannon Fire Hall. Many of these sessions were sell-outs, and it was not unusual to find collectors lined up outside the hall two to three hours before the doors were opened. On June 11 & 12, 1977, Olde Frothingslosh held their first two-day session at the Meadowlands Hilton, which drew around 150 collectors.
Ken Kramer, Chapter Treasurer, graduated from Pitt and moved away from Pittsburgh that year and was replaced by Al Cambridge #12226. Cambridge, a CPA, brought Chapter finances up to a professional level, and held the position of Treasurer for the next eight years. During the following year, 1978, Olde Frothingslosh joined the NEF (Northeast Federation of Chapters), an affiliation of chapters in the Mid/Atlantic-New England region whose purpose was to coordinate session dates and combine resources and influence in matters of regional interest. The organization was very controversial, and BCCA’s St Louis leadership found it threatening. Olde Frothingslosh’s presence in the NEF did, however, establish it as one of the leading chapters in the eastern part of the country. Attendance at Chapter sessions continued at the high level of the year before. Also of note that year: The Olde Frothingnews finished seventh in a nation-wide BCCA newsletter contest, and Pittsburgh Brewing Company’s Sierra was voted BCCA Can of the Year. Olde Frothingslosh membership reached a new peak in 1979 with 150 members, although attendance at the bi-monthly Castle Shannon sessions was beginning to fall. While typical turnouts there in 1977 and 1978 were usually over 100 collectors, 1979 saw that attendance number drop to 75 or 85 collectors. The Chapter held it’s second two day session in November 1979, again at the Meadowlands Hilton, but drew only 120 collectors. It would be the Chapter’s last attempt at a two-day show at the Meadowlands. Of national interest, Dave Haberman was appointed BCCA Fair Warning Committee Chairman.
The Lean Years
As the beer can collecting "fad" began to ebb in 1980, so did Olde Frothingslosh Chapter membership, losing 20 members, with membership falling to 130. In an effort to rejuvenate interest, the Chapter instituted the annual South Park Black Ashes Picnic/Session, an August event that would be repeated fifteen times in subsequent years. Pittsburgh Brewing Company’s Iron City Pirate can was voted BCCA Commemorative Can of the Year at the BCCA Hershey Canvention. By 1981 Olde Frothingslosh membership had fallen to just 90 collectors, and the Chapter was forced to move out of the spacious Castle Shannon fire hall and into the smaller North Hampton VFW. Will Hartlep was elected to the national BCCA Board of Directors that year and gave up his position as Chapter President and Newsletter Editor. Clyde Moyes #14761 succeeded him as President and held the position for three years. Walt Wimer #13267 became Vice President and Editor of the Olde Frothingnews and held those jobs for an unprecedented twelve years. Interest in the hobby and Chapter membership continued to fall through 1982, with the only local highlight being Pittsburgh Brewing Company’s double win at the BCCA Minneapolis Canvention. Their Iron City "Men of Iron" and the Olde Frothingslosh cans were voted Can of the Year and Commemorative Can of the Year. By the spring of 1983 Chapter membership had dropped to just 75 members. The Black Ashes Picnic/Session was augmented by a smaller version at the RC Men’s Club, north of Butler, which was so popular that the Chapter elected to return there on a regular basis. Walt Wimer and Tony Heitzer #13708 took charge of these shows. In 1983, Pittsburgh also hosted the ECBA/NABA National Show under the guidance of Bud Hundenski. October of 1983 saw the first session at the Blackridge Civic Center in Churchill, a site that the Chapter would use in conjunction with North Hampton, Black Ashes, and Butler, for the next four years. By 1984, the Olde Frothingslosh Chapter membership had fallen to 60 members. In an effort to stop the bleeding, Chapter dues were eliminated and not reinstated until 1986. Will Hartlep returned as Chapter President that year, and Ron Kikta #12515 won the Best Flat Top Display at the BCCA Cedar Rapids Canvention,. Also that year Brewery Collectibles failed, as widespread hobby decline continued. 1985 was another lean year for Olde Frothingslosh, with membership remaining static at 60 collectors in spite of the moratorium on Chapter dues. Just three shows were held in 1985, the Butler Blast in June, the summer North Hampton show in August, and the Blackridge show in October. Once again, the ECBA/NABA national show was in Pittsburgh under the leadership of Bud Hundenski, and for the second year in a row, Ron Kikta took a first place award for his display at the BCCA Orlando Canvention.
Only three sessions were held in 1986 again, and although membership modestly rose to 65, session attendance averaged little more than 20 to 25 collectors. Perhaps more significantly, this was the year that long-time collector Jerry Lorenz #4013, and Frank Weber #26212 opened their North Side tavern, Frank & Jerry’s Bierhaus. The Bierhaus would soon become a favorite visiting place for Pittsburgh and out-of-town collectors alike, and marked the first time one of the Chapter’s members became part of the beer "business". In 1987, Olde Frothingslosh membership bottomed out at 50 members, and session attendance dropped to as few as ten to twelve people. Fortunately this would be the low-point of the decline of the Chapter. Also this year, Clyde Moyes once again took over as Chapter President and Will Hartlep continued on as Secretary/Treasurer.
The Long Road Back
Although overall BCCA membership continued to hold at around five thousand throughout the late 80’s and early 90’s, the Olde Frothingslosh Chapter experienced a slow but steady growth back to a semblance of its size in the late 70’s. In 1988 membership jumped from 50 to 70, perhaps due in part to the inception of the sessions at the Pennswoods Civic Center in Irwin, Pa. These sessions were the result of the efforts of Charlie Churley #20396, in an attempt to have shows in the eastern fringes of the Pittsburgh area, and would become a regular site for the next seven years. 1988 was also the first year for the annual Oktoberfest Session at Frank & Jerry’s Bierhaus. By 1989 the Chapter was again holding five sessions a year and membership was up to 73 collectors. Tom Zalewski #15454 took over as Secretary/Treasurer, an office he would hold over the next eight years. Under his guidance, cost-cutting measures, and fund-raising ideas, the Chapter coffers would grow to a balance of approximately $800. Olde Frothingslosh added a sixth session in 1990 in Conway, Pa. The Beaver Valley Beer Can Club had become active again, and the Chapter saw the opportunity for a successful show in the western suburbs. Bud Hundenski took charge of these shows and they became a regular event on the Chapter calendar. The Conway site was used for four consecutive years. Also in 1990, the Renner Old Oxford Chapter was formed in Youngstown, Ohio. Renner Old Oxford became a "brother" chapter to Olde Frothingslosh, with many collectors in both cities holding dual memberships. Pittsburgh Brewing Company’s Iron City "Boys of Winter can was voted BCCA Can of the Year. Six sessions were held again in 1991. The line-up included: Conway in January, Irwin in April and November, Butler in June, Black Ashes in August, and the Bierhaus in October. The financial success of these sessions allowed Tom Zalewski to report a $864.00 balance in the Chapter treasury at the end of the year. In July, the ECBA held its National Convention in Greensburg, and in September Renner Old Oxford held their first and only two day show in Youngstown. The Chapter continued in 1992 with a six session schedule. The November Irwin show was replaced by the first October "Boo’s & Brews" show at the North Hills Holiday Inn. The two-day show featured a Friday night Halloween Party in the hospitality room, a sold-out show on Saturday, a Saturday afternoon bar tour led by Jerry Lorenz, and a Saturday night "Pizza Night". Collectors from Canada, Michigan, Maryland, Virginia, Illinois, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia were among those attending. Also in attendance was the BCCA National President, Shar Kielack. In 1993, the "Boo’s & Brews" show was repeated but with slightly less success.
Again, the BCCA National President, Jack Kellogg, attended. Although the attendance for the Saturday trade show was approximately the same as 1992, the number of collectors booking rooms at the hotel fell significantly. As a result, the Chapter lost money on the session and would not attempt it again in 1994. Attendance at the Chapter’s other five shows that year was up from the previous year as chapter membership and activity continued to grow.
A New Look
In 1994, after holding the post of Chapter President for eleven years in two terms, Clyde Moyes resigned. Walt Wimer was elected the new President, George Murray #26732 was elected Vice President, and Tom Zalewski was reelected to the position of Secretary/Treasurer. Later that year Dave Lockerman #29357 took over the duties as Editor of the Olde Frothingnews (soon to become Ye Olde Froth Newsletter). Chapter membership rose to 93 collectors, and all sessions were showing profits. The 1994 January show moved from Conway to the Ambridge Serviceman’s Club, and the March Irwin show would be the last to be held there. The Chapter tried a new show location in Charleroi in May with disappointing results, and in July manned an informational booth at the U.S. Beer & music Festival. Of national interest, Will Hartlep was elected to the BCCA Board of Directors for the second time. The Chapter held only four shows in 1995, unable to find a suitable replacement site for the Irwin Pennswoods Civic Center. Membership, however, held steady at 90 collectors, as did the attendance at the four remaining shows. Once again, the Chapter staffed an informational booth in July, this time at the U.S. Beer Tasting Fest at the I.C. Light Amphitheater. In 1996, through the efforts of Dave Lockerman and Tom Zalewski, the Chapter found a new home for the March and November sessions at the IBEW Union Hall in Harwick, Pa. Both shows held at that location were very successful. A new program was introduced by Tom and Dave at the IBEW shows in which the show admission was raised slightly, but the beer was supplied free of charge. Not surprisingly, this became a very popular feature. In March, for the third time in four years, the BCCA President, in this case Art Zerby, attended one of the Chapter sessions. Elections were held in June at the RC Men’s Club show. The new officer’s slate for 1996-97 became Dave Lockerman, President; Gary McClimans #12882, Vice President; and Tom Zalewski, Secretary/Treasurer. Dave became only the fifth person in twenty-four years to hold the position of Chapter President.
At the 1996 BCCA Indianapolis Canvention, three Olde Frothingslosh members won display awards, Jerry Lorenz’ Pittsburgh Brewing display won first place in the brewery category, Brian Williams #18342 entered a Harley Davidson display which won first place in the brand category, and Gary McClimans’ entry in the Mile Hilarious displays won first prize there. Gary and Will Hartlep were also contributors to the Big Beer Brotherhood display that won the Best Overall trophy. 1997 started with another highly successful show in January at a new Ambridge location, the American Legion Hall. The hall was filled early, and Bud Hundenski and his helpers did an excellent job in operating the bar and kitchen. In April the Chapter held its 25th Anniversary show at the Ober Haus at Pittsburgh Brewing Company in conjunction with the brewery’s 135th anniversary. The show, run by Tom Zalewski and Dave Lockerman, was a huge success, and PBC President, Joe Piccirilli, invited the chapter back to make it a yearly brewery event. The Butler Blast show, run by John Green #28444, the final Black Ashes show, and the October Harwick show filled out the year’s calendar of events. Also that year, Will Hartlep was elected to the BCCA Hall of Fame at the BCCA Atlanta Canvention. By 1998, Chapter membership had grown to 106 members, and due primarily to the efforts of Bud Hundenski, saw a noticeable increase in support from the local breweries. In addition to the regular shows in Ambridge, Butler, and Harwick, the chapter held its second Pittsburgh Brewing show in April, and its first ever show at Jones Brewing Company in Smithton, Pa. New Olde Frothingslosh Chapter officers were elected at the Butler Blast show in June, and the slate included: Jerry Lorenz, President; Tom Zalewski, Vice President; and Jason Bullock #27780, Secretary/Treasurer. Jason would later take a job in Texas, and was replaced by Dick Ober #31435. Dick is a descendent of the Ober family of Eberhardt and Ober fame, and a valuable addition to the Chapter. At the Harwick show, special awards were presented to past presidents Clyde Moyes and Dave Lockerman, and a special achievement award, the "Sir Reggie", was presented to Tom Zalewski. Also in 1998, the Chapter took a huge step towards national prominence, submitting a bid to host the 2002 BCCA Canvention. The Chapter began 1999 with 128 members, and again held five shows.
The location of the Winter Blast show was changed from Ambridge to the Crescent Township Fire Hall. This new spot proved to be highly successful and would be the home of the Winter Blast for the next four years. Bud Hundenski took the lead in hosting these shows. The big news of 1999 for the Chapter took place at the BCCA Tempe Canvention, where Olde Frothingslosh was named as host chapter for the 2002 BCCA Canvention. The Chapter held a hugely successful hospitality suite at the Tempe Canvention, supported by large donations of beer and raffle prizes from Pittsburgh Brewing Company, Jones Brewing Company, and the Penn Brewery. Hourly raffles led by Chapter raffle-master, Jim Romine #19904, drew standing-room-only crowds, and friendly interplay with the Jersey Shore Chapter’s Hospitality suite helped make the night the most entertaining of the Canvention. One outstanding individual effort, which must be mentioned, is that of Tim Takacs #16834, who hauled all of the beer from Pittsburgh to Arizona in a trailer, which he built for that purpose. 2000, the millennium year, saw several changes in the Olde Frothingslosh Chapter; Deb Lorenz #29653, was made acting Chapter Secretary, and with the help of Mike Blasko #30995, launched the Chapter web site. Due to construction schedule difficulties at the new Canvention Center, the Pittsburgh Canvention was pushed back to 2003, and Lexington inserted in its 2002 place. Jeff Lebo #15105 was elected to the BCCA Board of Directors. Marsha Majors, Miss Olde Frothingslosh, died after a long illness. Chapter membership in 2000 fell slightly to 121 members, 62 also being BCCA members. 2001 was another Chapter election year, and the newly elected slate included: Jerry Lorenz, President; Bud Hundenski, Vice President; Debbie Lorenz, Secretary; and Dick Ober, Treasurer. Thanks to efforts by Bud and Jerry, the Chapter arranged for and held its first show at the Penn Brewery, making three of the five Olde Frothingslosh shows hosted by local breweries. Careful attention to making the Chapter shows profitable were paying off, as the treasury rose to over $3,600.00. The Chapter began the year 2002 with 143 members, reversing a two-year decline in membership. A docket of five shows was again planned, starting with the January Winter Blast at Crescent Township. The Second Annual Penn Brewery show followed in April, with the Pittsburgh Brewing show planned for June as the Chapter’s Thirtieth Anniversary Celebration. The Jones Brewing Company Summer Blast remained scheduled for August, even after the brewery’s financial situation put the show in doubt. A new location for the October Boos and Brews show was found at the Presto Fire Hall near Bridgeville, thanks to Chapter member, Chris Umbel.
BCCA CANVENTION 33 is Held in Pittsburgh, PA!
2002 and 2003 were filled with much work and preparation for the Chapter's CANvention Executive Committee who were to host CANvention 33 in Pittsburgh at the Westin Hotel downtown Pittsburgh and the David Lawrence Canvention center. In February of 2003, the BCCA National Canvention Committee came to Pittsburgh to meet with chapter Hosts Deb & Jerry Lorenz at the Westin Hotel downtown Pittsburgh. To celebrate hosting the Canvention, Chairman Lorenz decided to expand the display of his can and breweriana collection by setting up a three room breweriana museum upstairs of the Bierhaus which would become the first stop for the BCCA "Unofficial" bar tour and was on the list of establishments visited via Molly's Trolleys. One of the first activities taken was to host a "Canvention Volunteer Party" at the Bierhaus. All Olde Frothingslosh members were invited to the Bierhaus for "Free Eats & Drinks", the only requirement being that you signed up for two hours of work sometime during CANvention. 40 members showed up and they were awesome then and during Canvention!
The Canvention theme was "The Party's in PittsBEERgh! The CANvention Executive Committee consisted of Jerry & Deb Lorenz, Brett & Dee Sutton, Dick & Kathy Ober, Brian Williams, Bud Hundenski, Paul & Karen Price and Tim & Heidi Takacs. Dee Sutton came up with the idea of the volunteer hosts all wearing vests and Kathy Ober and Theresa Lorenz (Jerry's Sister) became the seamstresses of the hour as together they made all of the vests. These vests would become a hot commodity during and After canvention with people trying to buy them off of our backs. They were bright yellow with the Iron City logo and they said on the back, "The Pittsburgh Brew Crew". There were groups of volunteers wearing them and they could be seen all over the hotel.
The Commorative Can and T-shirts were designed by member Will Hartlep and the Centerpieces were designed by Deb Lorenz. The Centerpieces (60) of them, consisted of a piece of stained mahogony wood shaped like the Keystone of Pennsylvania with a plate on a plateholder purchased from Wendell August located in Grove City, PA. The plate was of the City of Pittsburgh and included the two new stadiums, the city skyline and the Fountain at the point. Also on the Keystone was the Commorative can designed by Will. The Keystones were carved and shaped by Brian Williams and stained mahogany by a friend of Jerry and Debbie's, Craig McQuillan. The Centerpieces were desired by all at the Banquet but could only be won by one person at each table. Dick Ober was in charge of Displays/Awards, Tim Takacs took responsibility for Shipping and the General Trade Floor. Deb Lorenz helped with the Agenda Booklet and did the Daily Brewsletter. Bud Hundenski was in charge of Advertising and Publicity. Dee & Brett Sutton were in charge of Hospitality and Brett was also in charge of the Goodie Bags! Another Volunteer meeting was held at the Bierhaus for all of our volunteers to put together the Goodie Bags. Karen Price and Maryann McQuillan were the Ice Queens in charge of daily ice distribution and Paul Price was in charge of microbrew night with 19 different microbrews, best ever!!!
Ducky Tours and Molly's Trolley's were enjoyed by many and on one Ducky Tour when there was one too many people on it, member Len DeRiggi graciously gave up his seat. Member Joe Ramich stood out as he help unload cars outside of the Lobby of the Hotel. SO many members did SO many things that week to make Pittsburgh's one of the most successful canventions ever and we are grateful to you all and proudly stand in the Hall of Fame of Canventions with 201 walk-ins!
Deb Lorenz campaigned for and won a position on the BCCA Board of Directors. Deb would serve on the board from October 2003-October 2005. It is notable that at the BCCA Board Meetingm a vote was taken to change the name of the club to the Brewery Collectibles Club of America which was to cause controversy for the next entire year. Member Mark Young won the Dan Andrews Award for his article on Pittsburgh Brewing in the BCCA magazine and it was with great sadness that we all heard about Mark's accident on his way to Canvention where he planned on doing a display on Pittsburgh Brewing. Injured with him in the accident was member David Duncan. Fortunately, they survived though some of their collections did not. Both Mark and David, both Pittsburgh area transplants living in California, are tremendous assets to Olde Frothingslosh.
LIFE AFTER CANVENTION
2004 began with the Winter Blast being held at the Hopewell Firehall and it was with sadness that we heard about the the sudden death of Frank Weber, Jerry's Lorenz' cousin and partner in the Bierhaus Tavern & Museum. The new owners were now Jerry and his wife Debbie. This would be the last year for a while that the Summer Blast would be held in the Jones Brewery Parking Lot. During BCCA Canvention 34 in Dearborn, Michigan, Jerry Lorenz campaigned for and won a position on the BCCA Board of Directors. It was the first time a couple had been on the Board together as his first year would overlap with Deb's second year on the Board. He would serve from October 2004-October 2006. Deb Lorenz continued to do a Daily Newsletter during Canvention and would continue to do so for two more years, her final Canvention newsletter being done in Kansas in 2006, for a total of four years of doing it. To try and increase BCCA membership, the club hosted its First Annual BCCA Member Christmas Party with the food catered by Schmidt's Tavern (as usual). All Olde Froth members who were also BCCA members were invited for a free dinner with their significant others at Pittsburgh Brewing's Ober Brau Haus with PBC beer products frowing freely. A $10.00 grabbag was enjoyed by all members and great fun was had by all! 2 year slate of officers was elected, Jerry Lorenz for President, Bud Hundenski for Vice President, Brett Sutton for Secretary, and Dick Ober for Treasurer. Deb Lorenz would continue to do the newsletter and website.
In 2005 due to the fact that the Summer Blast could not be held at Jones Brewery, the officers decided to show their appreciation to the members of the club by hosting an annual Summer Picnic/Summer Blast show in which the members would not have to pay for tables. This first picnic was held in Latrobe. Delicious food was served and drinks were provided at no charge. Deb finished her term on the Board of Directors and opted not to run again. Although, Brett Sutton generously had offered to perform as Secretary, having too many irons in the fire, like working, owning race horses and being involved with the BMW owners & collectors group, he was unable to commit to the job. Wishing him well, Deb Lorenz once again resumed the reins of the Secretary position. The Second Annual BCCA Members Christmas Party was held at the Bierhaus Tavern as Jerry was sellling it and wanted to give everyone an opportunity to be there as a group one more time.
2006 - The ABA held their Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pa with a lot of help from Bud Hundenski and a little help from Deb & Jerry Lorenz. Dick Ober put together a great Eberhardt and Ober display with a little help from his friends. Many Olde Froth members attended the event and enjoyed themselves. The ABA also used Molly's Trolley's and had a great lunch at the Penn Brewery. They didn't, however, get to enjoy touring the Bierhaus Museum because Debbie and Jerry Lorenz sold the bar on January 27th. What was supposed to be a great working relationship with the new owner, which included continuing the Museum display and tours, did not pan out; and in June, after having to resort to legal means, several wonderful Olde Froth members brought their vehicles and 16 truckloads of collectibles were carried out of the establishment, never to return again . . .and neither would Deb & Jerry!
The second Annual Picnic/Summer Blast was held this year at Riverview Park on the Northside of Pittsburgh and, again, a great time was held by all. Some of our members got involved in a bean bag tournament that was great fun! The Third Annual Member Christmas Party was held once again at the Ober Brau Haus and was open to all Olde Froth members as it was decided that all Olde Froth Members should have the priviledge of attending all chapter events equally. Everyone had a wonderful time and great conversations were held by all. More people attended this year and we hoped for more next year. On an upbeat note, Jerry Lorenz, President, was stunned when Joe Piccarrilli and Tony Ferraro showed up at the party and offered him a position as Ober Brau Haus Manager and Brewery Tour Director.
2007 began with Jerry accepting the offered position at Pittsburgh Brewing and "officially" becoming their Tour Director. He helped to develop new Marketing brochures and began managing the Ober Brau Haus. In February, at the Blue Gray Show held in Fredericksburg, Va, the Olde Frothingslosh Chapter turned in an application to become a NABA Chapter. At the NABA Board meeting, we were accepted and officially became a Chapter of the club. Ten member signatures were needed and there were so many members there that everyone couldn't sign! It was an Oldefrothingslosh Chapter Show - away from home. The year was also notable for member Chuck Puckett agreed to become the new Newsletter Editor. He came out boldly with a new logo and we look forward to more changes and input from Chuck. This year was also noted for renewing the Olde Froth Board of Directors. The "first" new appointed Chapter Board of Directors are as follows: Newsletter Editor, Chuck Pucket; Food Manager, Karen Price; Raffle Chairman, Clyde Moyes; and newly retired, Ed Littell.
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