Kids at the pen shows, and a Thank You!

[FredRydr]

Families often visit the pen shows on Saturdays and Sundays. Parents heard about the pen show through local media and curiosity brings them into the fold for a few hours. Their kids usually don't know what to make of it all (perhaps wishing they were elsewhere) as they walk by our vendor table. That is when we give older children and young teens used inexpensive fountain pens, inked and ready to go. It's proven to be a real ice-breaker and champions the pen hobby, but we run out of pens too quickly.

I usually buy a cheap lot of pens when I see them, clean them up and refill the small inventory given to kids when they walk by. However, on a lark, I recently posted a listing in FPGeek's Want to Buy or Trade forum and the response has been gratifying! The following will make some real smiles at the pen shows, and hopefully new fans for fountain pens. Next up are the Baltimore and Long Island pen shows.

Many of you will recognize your donations, most of which I'll be cleaning and testing over the next few weeks, though many are brand new. On behalf of the children and young teens who'll have these inked beauties in their hands, Thank you!

IMG_6425.JPGIMG_6426.JPG

Fred

P.S. We've had to add another case as the response continues!! Goodness, how many orphan pens are out there?! Our goal is for smiling kids to empty a case by the end of each show.

P.P.S. And the second packet direct from China! Thank you!!

[waldbrent]

nice!


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[penwash]

My daughter (a tweeneager) now loves Pen Shows. At first of course, as Fred said, she didn't know what to make of it.

I took her to her first Pen Show two years ago and Mr. Jimmy Dolan practically gave her a Monteverde tool pen. She can't wait to come back the next year to show him that "No, I didn't lose it like you predicted, ha!" and that she did

Now she bought her own Pilot Kakuno with her own money.

[Waski_the_Squirrel]

Thank you for thinking of all the future pen fans who currently have a limited attention span. You helped keep and build their interest in fountain pens with this!

[FredRydr]

And another pack of pens arrived for the kids, red Hero pens drop-shipped direct from China. From the young beneficiaries, thank you.

Fred

P.S. And another box! Okay, we have enough to distribute through to the 2017 DC pen show, and perhaps even to the end of the year.

P.P.S. And yet another packet of pens, from Connecticut this time! Thank you.

[MaryMG]

Families often visit the pen shows on Saturdays and Sundays. Parents heard about the pen show through local media and curiosity brings them into the fold for a few hours. Their kids usually don't know what to make of it all (perhaps wishing they were elsewhere) as they walk by our vendor table. That is when we give older children and young teens used inexpensive fountain pens, inked and ready to go. It's proven to be a real ice-breaker and champions the pen hobby, but we run out of pens too quickly.

I usually buy a cheap lot of pens when I see them, clean them up and refill the small inventory given to kids when they walk by. However, on a lark, I recently posted a listing in FPGeek's Want to Buy or Trade forum and the response has been gratifying! The following will make some real smiles at the pen shows, and hopefully new fans for fountain pens. Next up are the Baltimore and Long Island pen shows.

Many of you will recognize your donations, most of which I'll be cleaning and testing over the next few weeks, though many are brand new. On behalf of the children and young teens who'll have these inked beauties in their hands, Thank you!

IMG_6425.JPGIMG_6426.JPG

Fred

P.S. We've had to add another case as the response continues!! Goodness, how many orphan pens are out there?! Our goal is for smiling kids to empty a case by the end of each show.

P.P.S. And the second packet direct from China! Thank you!!

Fred...a couple years ago I took two of my grandkids to the Michigan Pen Shoe. A representative of Pen Collectors of America gave both kids a Lamy ABC pen as a gift. They were thrilled! Both of them (10yo and 14 yo) have been avid fountain pen users since that day. In fact, they don't miss a birthday or Christmas without requesting a fountain pen or ink. I used to fret over what would happen to my collection when I die...not anymore.

Mary

[FredRydr]

It never ceases to amaze me. The look in their eyes of appreciation and excitement for pens that you and I might call ho-hum. Thirty-two pens have new homes, and I hope they're not making a mess. Most were, I'd say, 10-14 years, so I think spills and leaks will be manageable. I wish I could have taken photos, but we have to be careful about that with children's photos and the internet.

So, there are over a hundred pens remaining for kids who appear at the Long Island, DC and maybe Raleigh shows.

Thanks all.

Fred

[FredRydr]

At New York's Long Island Pen Show, less than a half-dozen kids benefitted from the pens you've given, though the smiles and appreciation were no less than Baltimore. The show was crowded as usual, but parents didn't bring their kids along. Perhaps Sunday will be different, but I cannot be there.

A very nice surprise in that our own Sailor Kenshin appeared with a handful more pens, and participated in a giveaway of two pens and ink to a pair of happy girls. That was great!

Next will be DC, or maybe Raleigh.

Fred

[Sailor Kenshin]

At New York's Long Island Pen Show, less than a half-dozen kids benefitted from the pens you've given, though the smiles and appreciation were no less than Baltimore. The show was crowded as usual, but parents didn't bring their kids along. Perhaps Sunday will be different, but I cannot be there.

A very nice surprise in that our own Sailor Kenshin appeared with a handful more pens, and participated in a giveaway of two pens and ink to a pair of happy girls. That was great!

Next will be DC, or maybe Raleigh.

Fred

The looks on their faces made my day.

[Waski_the_Squirrel]

Once again: thank you for thinking of the future fountain pen users. This is how you catch their interest, hopefully in a life of writing.

[Terie_Benjamin]

What you are doing is amazing. My boys attended their first show last year ages 4,8,10 at the time. So many people were amazed at their level of interest of fp. I love that my kids and I share this hobby. Keep on recruiting

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[RocketRyan]

What a wonderful story, keep up the good work.

[FredRydr]

FYI: For the first time in years, I will not have a table at the 2017 DC show, and instead will only be visiting on Saturday. Therefore, it is likely that at the end of Saturday, I will leave many of the pens you've donated with Penthusiast to distribute to kids on Sunday. See: https://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread...en-Show-table?

Fred

[FredRydr]

There were a lot of kids at the D.C. show today, so 30+ of your donated pens put 30+ smiles on their faces. I put a handful on Penthusiast's table, and I have about 25 left for the Ohio show.

Fred

[Lunaelsol]

Fred thank you for continuing to inspire the next generation. Thank you too for everyone who donated and paid it forward. Humanity continues to give hope in the midst of the pervading chaos globally.

We don't have pen shows in Manila but at least we have a once a year gathering so permit me to replicate the generosity. I will post our happening which is sometime October this year2017

[LeafChaser]

What a great community.


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[FredRydr]

Change of plan. Your donated pens will be distributed to surprised and grateful youngsters at the 2017 Ohio Pen Show on Saturday (only).

Fred

P.S. They're all gone! The pens, I mean. On behalf of the kids, Thanks everyone!

[ajnsia418]

Sometimes with kids, less is more. With our curated collections for boys and girls, the POPSUGAR editors have picked our favorite outfits from https://dreampairshoes.com/collections/all-kids. We also collect all kid's shoe collections from dream pair shoes.

[Chrissy]

Spammer who revived a thread from 2017 reported