I.B.M RING #250
FT. COLLINS, CO.
VOL.19, Number 6 June 1998

The reputation of this Las Vegas Cardician is legend. He has been a top mover and shaker in the magic world for a couple of decades and, with new 1998 lecture in hand, he is coming to Colorado just to wow us. Well, alright, he will be stopping to talk to a few other clubs along the way but on Thursday, June 18 at 7:30p.m, he's all ours. While Allan Ackerman may be best known for his card work, I'm told his '98 lecture has more than just pasteboard miracles to tempt our magical palates. This lecture will be held at the regular meeting day, time and place (Colorado State Office Bldg., rm. 210, 3842 5. Mason, Ft. Collins, CO.) Admission will be $5 for front range magic club members and $10 for non-members. Hope to see you there.

If any of you have tried to contact John Akal at Elfin Magic in Estes Park, CO you may have been frustrated by a "disconnected" message. You're not half as frustrated as John is. His business is open but he's having a disagreement with his phone company which has left him without a business phone for the time being. Show your support for the small businessman by stopping by Elfin Magic the next time you're in Estes, or call John at home (303-279-4990) to fulfill your magical needs.

David Copperfield's "Project Magic" is looking for volunteers in the Ft. Collins -Loveland area. For more information contact Ed Hurtubis at (970)223-8767.

Magic in the Rockies '98 registrations are beginning to roll in as another of the "best little conventions in the west" takes shape. Keep in mind that rooms at the Ft. Collins Marriot (convention site) will be available at the convention rate of $77 only until August 21.

The next planning meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, 6:00pm at Coopersmith's Pub in Ft. Collins. All members are invited to attend as fresh input is always welcomed. Dinner is optional.

 July 13 Mark Strivings will be giving a dealer lecture in Denver. Then August 8 Kenton Knepper will be doing his Wonder Words for Magicians lecture, also in Denver. For more information on either of these lectures, please contact Bob LaRue at (303)494-8651.

Included as a supplement to "The Linking Ring", May 1998 is the Election Ballot for the International Brotherhood of Magicians. I would like to personally encourage all IBM members in good standing to exercise their right to vote. This year there are two candidates for each office.

1. the IBM Board of Trustees nominees, and
2. the signed petition nominees.

Do you know that there are 86 inactive IBM members in Colorado and 6 inactive IBM members in Wyoming? I really would like to hear from inactive members as to why each are no longer active. I would like to hear from active members too! I realize that responding to this issue may be difficult, but I know that the IBM is interested in learning what it can do differently to reinstate memberships and to attract new members. Please consider writing or calling me.

Thanks.

Edward Hurtubis
1624 Lakeshore Dr.
Ft. Collins, CO. 80525-2476
(970)223-8767

Let's start planning to attend the 70th annual IBM convention in Los Angeles, CA, July 1-4, 1998. Last year twenty Colorado members and one Wyoming member attended the convention in Minneapolis. What will our number be this year?

The May meeting of the PrestoDigitators began with officers undecided about how to arrange the room for the evening's special presentation. After finally coming to a conclusion, the room was set up in a semi-circle. President Byron Ferguson started the meeting with some opening remarks which included a reminder of the annual convention which is drawing nearer each week. September 11, 12, and 13 mark the dates for Magic in the Rockies 1998. This year's program is starting to jell. Headliners include Michael Weber, Aldo Colombini, Falkenstein and Willard, Marcelo Contento, and Doc Eason. Another big name or two may be added to the line-up before all is said and done. After several more announcements, it was time for a very special lecture.

Thanks to the efforts of compeer Barry Fernelius, the Presto-Digitators were able to acquire the services of one of the foremost proponents of storytelling in the State of Colorado, Susan Marie Frontczak. Susan began by telling a story She immediately engrossed her audience with her commanding presence, her dynamism, and her masterful expertise. From this point on, it was an easy task for Susan to guide us through a hands-on workshop on the hows and whys of storytelling. Interestingly enough, due no doubt to Susan's friendship with Barry, her recommended bibliography included books by Eugene Berger, Robert Neale, and Punx, among others. Susan also handed out an instructional sheet, "Principles of Storytelling."

In addition, she had audio tapes available for those who were interested in listening to Susan during actual performances.

(Some who may read our club minutes might wonder why we have a Susan Marie Frontczak do a storytelling workshop at a magic club meeting. The same people probably puzzled over why we also recently had a seminar on making more effective presentations, with Sally K. Robinson. Those still scratching their heads are most likely the type of magicians who criticized us for having a T. Meyers balloon lecture at one of our conventions. If you fall into this category, then, sad to say, there is more to worry about in magic than exposures by the Masked Magician. Incidentally, both the Susan Frontczak and Sally Robinson lectures drew two of our largest turn-outs!)

After Susan's lecture was over, several members traveled downtown to Oldtown Fort Collins to spin some tales and drink some ales at Coopersmith's Pub. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

I.B.M. RING 250 Information

I.B.M. Ring 250 is the Presto-Digitators of Fort Collins, CO. Meetings are on the third Thursday of each month, at 7:30 p.m. in the Colorado State Office Building, at 3842 South Mason St., Ft. Collins, CO. 80525

President: Byron Ferguson (303) 277-0323 byron.ferguson@prodigy.com)
Vice-President: Tim Pendergast (970) 225-0708
Treasurer: Bob Reed (303) 651-3196 (rgreed@uno.com)
Sergeant-at-Arms: Monte Haines (970) 224-0446
Newsletter Editor: Geoff Thompson (307)635-0306 (mckthomp@worldnet.att.net)
Secretary: Lew Wymisner (970) 484-7014