Coleman collectors around the nation unite in Berlin
During the national Coleman convention, members would gather at night around the pond at the Encore Hotel in Berlin and set the night sky ablaze with the aura of Coleman lamps.
Dan Messaros can check a big box off of his bucket list.
A longtime collector of all things Coleman, he and his wife Barb recently managed to create a three-day slate of events that would encompass the entirety of the annual International Coleman Club Convention that made its camp at Encore Hotel in Berlin for three days of activities, meetings and sharing about each members’ passion for collecting Coleman products.
Messaros, who hails from Elyria, has talked about hosting the event for years, and when his wife retired this year, the two set about their obligation of creating the convention, something they had volunteered to do two years ago. That last year’s convention was canceled due to COVID-19 and made this one even more significant.
The couple settled on Holmes County because they frequent the county about every month. They also loved the idea of giving the Coleman members a taste of something uniquely different that comes with Amish Country.
“We knew this was coming two years in advance,” Barb Messaros said. “This hotel and area were ideal because there is plenty to do, and the hotel has everything self-contained so it made for a perfect place to host.”
Each individual or couple planning the event gets the honor of creating the annual member’s patch. Almost humorously, Dan Messaros chose to go with the Coleman lantern called affectionately “The Turd” for its brown hue. He said of opting for a lamp that is considered homely among collectors, “I’ve always liked the underdog, so it was with great pride that I chose this lamp.”
The Messaros said they worked diligently to create a convention that encompassed something for everyone.
The convention actually began with the early arrival members on Tuesday, June 22. Those who opted to come early got the chance to explore Ed and Malinda Erb’s new Coleman Museum, located on their home property. In addition, they enjoyed a tour of the Age of Steam Roundhouse.
The real convention began the next day when the members gathered at Berlin Encore Hotel’s hall for the convention show that saw members setting up display tables to showcase their desired Coleman memorabilia or vendor tables at which they were selling items.
Thursday, June 24 saw a repeat with the business meeting in the midst of the fun, and following a group photo and a banquet, the members gathered outside at the hotel pond, where dark gave way to light as the members cranked up their Coleman lanterns, hundreds of them, and made a spectacular vision as their emitted light shimmered across the pond.
On Friday, June 25, there was a half-day that was open to the public. Then the show closed, and the members helped tear everything down, which gave way to the Coleman auction. In addition, many of the members took advantage of free time to explore Amish Country, shop or simply relax.
While the members enjoyed one another’s company, one missing aspect of the event was the absence of any international members, who were not cleared to enter the country due to COVID restrictions.
“That was disappointing not to get to see our international friends this year, but we still had such a great time,” Barb Messaros said. “The Encore Hotel was awesome, and the people here were amazing.”
One added fun and competitive part of the show was the effort by many members to win the coveted top prize for their display booths.
That honor went to Robin Miller from Lake George, New York, who took Coleman products to an all-new level by creating a nearly all-pink display. “Robin’s She Shed” grabbed plenty of attention and garnered enough votes from members to earn the title, something many members felt might be the very first time a woman has accomplished that feat in what has been a male-dominated collector’s membership.
“I don’t think a woman has ever won, and the men aren’t too happy about it,” Miller said. “My husband and I come to these conventions all the time, and we could actually drive to this one, and my husband wasn’t going to do a display table.”
Miller felt they should do one, so she took charge and noticed among her husband’s Coleman collection a variety of pink items. That triggered the She Shed idea, and she put together a stunning pink showcase.
“My husband looked at me kind weird, and I said, ‘Come on, it will be fun,’” Miller said.
She said the guys like to show off lanterns, but she opted instead for a theme. Then she pulled off the win, and it wasn’t so weird after all. Everything in the display was totally Coleman-related. “It was great to be at the dinner and hear all the women cheering for me,” she said.
While Coleman products were the focal point, perhaps more important was the chance to reconvene after a year off. It was a long time for friends from all over the nation to wait to get back together.
Member Harold Porter from Maine has made a habit of attending conventions all over the nation. Porter said of the convention, “I’ve been to 23 conventions now, and to me this is all about the relationships and reconnecting with friends from all over not just the nation, but even countries outside of the U.S. This is my family.”
Dan Messaros said one of the neat things was seeing passersby stopping in to see what all of the lights were around the hotel pond at night. However, he said the members are the nicest part of being at each show.
“Collecting Coleman is our passion, but the important part is of being with each other,” Dan Messaros said. “It was a lot of work putting it together, and having Ed as our local guy that could take care of things when we were at home was ideal. It really came together nicely, and we were honored to be able to make it happen.”