Page 54 - Chow LIfe - Winter 2019

free of HD were owned or bred by WCCC members. Tiko Topper for BOB. The club's treasury in January
Today's WCCC members might be interested to '77 was $123.75, a number that would barely pay for
a major trophy at a national today. WCCC would go
know that our post-meeting tradition of "Brags & on to host 3 more national specialties: 1989, 1995,
Bitches" began in 1966 at the suggestion of Ernie and and 2008.
Mary Lou Engberg. As explained in a letter to the
membership that year, "The 'Brag Bag' will make it
possible for all to hear your interesting experiences;
in fact you will be heartily encouraged to tell about
your Chows AFTER you have deposited 10 cents in
the 'Brag Bag'." Fifty three years later, the "Brag Bag"
is a battered old envelope held together with tape (it
has sentimental value since it belonged to Harold
Toudt when he was treasurer) that gets passed
around at the end of each of our meetings and is
pretty much our main source of income these days.
By 1970, Harold Toudt was President and wrote
quite detailed newsletters to the membership (not
surprising if you knew Harold). Meetings were
much more frequent. The club boasted 42 members
then including several from the Chicago area like
Carmen (Buddy) Greco, Skyway Chows. Balloting
for officers that year was done by mail and counted
by a committee. (remarkably formal for such a
small club, I think) There appears to have been
some concern from an unnamed member about the
legality of soliciting new members from Illinois and
went so far as to contact the state Attorney General's
office about it; they were informed there was no rule
against it and it's all up to the club. Things got more Tom and Shirley Skelton joined the club in 1978
complicated in the club that year with some new and which makes them our highest seniority active
larger committees and a parliamentarian (Ernie, who members. Kim and Eric Johnsen joined in 1979. As
else?). Still not rich, though, the club's treasury that Chows began taking off in popularity then, so did
fall was only $79.57. club membership. We had 49 members that year!
1971 marked the move of our specialty from the In 1979, the club's treasurer disappeared taking the
Wisconsin KC in Milwaukee to the Badger KC checkbook and bank balance with her. If you've
in Madison where it remained, with a couple been reading closely so far, you'll remember that,
exceptions, until 1995. Encouraging the move was fortunately in this case, our treasury was never very
the high cost of exhibiting in Milwaukee: $3 parking, large. A new treasurer was appointed and a new
$8 entry fee, $1.75 admission, $2 catalog. Another account created with a $23 collection of dues. The
committee was appointed that year, the Hospitality Engbergs took care of some of the club's unpaid bills.
Committee, consisting of "any member exhibiting
at any given Wisconsin area show" with duties "to 1980 was the first year WCCC participated in the
welcome non-members to the area shows". The Wisconsin State Fair's World of Dogs exhibition
January 1971 newsletter mentions that Betty Mae which was a big "Meet The Breeds" type event. This
Sewards, Ky-Lin Kennels, had suffered a serious fire required the building of a booth, which became
at her home and the club sent her a $25 donation. quite a major project over the next few years as the
Fast forward to 1976 when Kathy Lee Porter (aka booth was intended to be competitive and needed
updating and full redesign on a regular basis. In
Kathy Beliew, Imagine Chows) and Bambi Lay (aka 1988, the Club swapped participation in the State
Bambi Walden, VIP Chows) joined the club. Ernie Fair for a similar but less labor intensive (and much
Engberg was on a mission to get a national specialty less expensive) Wisconsin Dog Fair hosted by the
held in Madison. He got his wish in 1977 when Badger Kennel club in Madison. We continue with
WCCC hosted its first national. Percy Whitaker that event today, only missing one year out of 30. A
from England judged 104 entries, putting up "funsy" match was also held in 1980 with many silly
English-bred, Canadian-owned, CH Hanoi classes and an obstacle course, and Kathy Porter

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