FENCING NAC IN CINCINNATI HONORS ME!

terry — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:41:40 +0000

originally posted 11/12/2010 @ 7:35:26 am on creatingbuttons.com

Home from CA on Monday, leave Thursday for Cincinnati for a NAC – North American Cup – one of 3 tournaments for me to qualify for the USA team and go to World Championships. Well, this year, I’m not going again, as they are in Bulgaria – and I already spent two weeks there dancing. But I went to this NAC because at the Veterans banquet they were honoring me as outstanding Veteran! Well, I couldn’t pass this up. I’ve never been honored before and not likely to again, so off I went! It was a terrific evening, honoring both male and female outstanding vets, as well as veterans of the year. We were given plaques, were introduced and asked to give little acceptance speeches. I spoke about how I started fencing with my coachMac Garret and his wife Diana, and seemed to be well recieved. I also wrote a little poem. (At bottom) This was truly a highlight of my life, at least my fencing life – and I got a big round of applause when I said I’d been fencing for 60 years Many of the vets who went to the world championships this year (Croatia) wore the buttons I made for them to take to Croatia. It’s nice that they like them. I should have made them for others years that I didn’t go, but didn’t think of it. Of course I made them for the 5 worlds’ that I attended.

Awards for veteran fencers

I also fenced of course, and took first in foil, second in saber and third in epee – a medal in every color. I’d take a picture of all my medals, but my camera flash isn’t working right now. But here’s a picture of us receiving our awards.
.Me, Male vet of the year, Vet Chair,female vet of the year, Male outstanding vet.
The plague reads “This award is presented to Terry J. Abrahams in recognition for being the female veteeran for outstanding service over a lifetime to the veteran fencing community in 2010, signed USFA Veterans Committee, October 2010. Cool, huh?!
Here’s the poem. And once again, it double spaces and I can’t fix it.
TERRY’S LOVE/HATE ODE TO FENCING

I love to win, I hate to lose
I love going to new venues
I hate lugging my fencing bag
All over the world - what a drag
I love seeing my students grow
I hate losing them when they go
I love my buttons that make you grin
You could buy some more - it's not a sin
But corny as it sounds I love you my friends
That's the part I hope never ends
Thanks for giving me this moment to shine
Now I'm going to sit down and drink my wine

FOLK DANCING IN NORTH CAROLINA

terry — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:37:16 +0000

originally posted 9/8/2010 @ 1:05:30 pm on creatingbuttons.com

Andi, Jen and I went to “The Mountain” in North Carolina for the 15th year of Karmiel USA (2010), an Israeli Dance Camp Weekend. We left on Thursday, drove 5 hours, stayed at a Holiday Inn, and spent 5 more hours getting to the venue on Friday, with a fabulous lunch stop in T???. The Mountain is a Retreat and Learning Center, and really reminded me of my time in Costa Rica. It was in the center of many mountains, and we were over the canopy of trees. The Mountain is a very eco-minded place, with wonderful trails around gorgeous shrubbery and white oak trees. We stayed in cabins that were rustic but very nice; the dining hall where we ate had many yoga-like thoughts put on banners; the food, by the way, was beyond one’s wildest imagination for a place like that – I won’t go into detail, but it was some of the best! The dance floor was wood, and large enough for us. Ruthy and Dany had decorated in their usual great way, the sound system worked, and we learned 16dances. Some were oldy moldies which Andi and I knew, and a couple of the “newer” ones one or all of us knew. There were some brand new ones as well, and we’re anxious to start teaching them. We left after the review on Monday, and drove the whole 10 hours to arrive home around midnight. My buttons were on display, and the best was when Betsy told me she gave all of hers away to a Romanian dance group that had come to S.C. So she replenished, (compliments of me – I love it when they go to other countries), and others bought as well for their home groups. Pat and Bobby went on to Play Shop (another workshop, this time for international dancers, with Jim Gold (website – Jimgold.com) guest teaching) and will present my buttons there. All in all a wonderful weekend. Pictures below.

Buttons – noveltybuttons.net

FENCING NAC IN CINCINNATI HONORS ME!

FOLK DANCING IN NORTH CAROLINA