ONCJC Celebrates Ten Years
1997 — 2007
First Meeting – 1997
Ten years ago 18 individuals with the same love for our style of dance came together in December at the Winking Lizard in Peninsula, paid our dues of $36 (so we’d have money to work with) and began to carve out a club. Each of us shared our dreams and ideas of what ONCJC should be. The Cincinnati Bop Club contributed their by-laws from which we modeled ours. Paul Hennessey (President of the Cincinnati Club & VP of the ABA) also guided us along the road to becoming a non-profit organization. There were no guarantees that the dreams would materialize, but we surged forward with a lot of hope.
ONCJC Board 2008
Building our membership became an ongoing topic of conversation and debate. After a great start at the Hudson Inn in 1998 with 120 some members, we had several years of fluctuating membership, sometimes not exceeding much over 60. It wasn’t until late 2003 that we broke 200 for the first time! We have enjoyed high numbers ever since. This year we have topped that 200 number mark once again! And at the end of 2007 our membership reached an all time high of 214! I attribute our growing membership to the GREAT members we have in this “family” and the wonderful leadership of the members who have stepped up to the plate to serve and help move this organization forward. The club is GREAT fun!
Because of all this history, Ohio’s North Coast Jitterbug Connection celebrated their 10th Anniversary the only way they know… IN STYLE!
The celebration was held at the beautiful St. George Fellowship Hall in Copley-Fairlawn, Ohio on Saturday, December 15th. Everyone weathered the first storm of the winter remarkably well, and almost all made it. Guests traveling from the Michigan, Pittsburgh and Youngstown areas forged through the rain, sleet, wind and snow to join in on the fun! Only about ten folks who had bought tickets were unable to make it. Invitations were sent to all our Charter Members, and ten of the original 18 planned to attend. Their presence added a lot to this event and brought back many memorable moments. They were pleased to see how we’ve grown and impressed by how welcomed that they felt. Several plan to attend whenever possible.
The evening was magic! With the combination of the Holiday season and the Anniversary celebration in everyone’s hearts brought a definite glow to the evening festivities. The atmosphere of St. George’s facility and the excellent service and food they provided topped off the evening’s experience. Everybody wore their very best! Rookie Rick Kohler, a “staple” of Steele City Boogie Club and the Pittsburgh area for over 40 years, graciously DJ’d for our enjoyment. His ears should still echoes with the praise for his music from those who attended.
Planning Committee
The large wooden dance floor was full the entire evening! Rookie Rick Koehler of Pittsburgh got the toes tapping for dance … dance … dance … and more dancing! Thanks to everyone whose efforts and presence made this a night to remember!
Along our journey we’ve learned many things. Two of the most important are:
- Life is too short to dwell on the past and harbor ill feelings, and …
- Once you realize that there will always be bumps in the road, recognizing them ahead of time will help you avoid most of those “chuck holes” in the future and enjoy a great ride!
We are proudly moving ahead and excitedly looking forward to the next 10, 20, 30 years and beyond!
Love, Kap and Lou!
