Edition No. 100
Arts and Culture
Miniature Moments: A Journey Through Hallmark ® Keepsake Ornaments explores The Henry Ford’s extensive collection of nearly 7,000 Hallmark ornaments.
Community and Family
Over 300 people came together on one day in hopes of giving a child a brighter Christmas season through Toys for Tots.
Miniature Moments: A Journey Through Hallmark® Keepsake Ornaments
Presented by The Henry Ford
Permanently on display inside the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Miniature Moments: A Journey Through Hallmark ® Keepsake Ornaments explores the museum’s extensive collection of nearly 7,000 Hallmark ornaments made between 1973 and 2009. The event is open to the public November 20.
Founded by teenage entrepreneur J.C. Hall in 1910, Hallmark did not start with ornaments but with cards. At a young age, J.C. Hall opened a postcard company in a small town in Nebraska. With limited opportunities, he crammed two shoeboxes full of postcards and boarded a train for Kansas City, Missouri, where he and his brother opened a stationery store. When a fire wiped out the store’s inventory, the brothers bought an engraving firm, setting the stage for the first Hallmark card designs.
Hallmark revolutionized Christmas decorating in the late 20th century by developing an increasing variety of ornaments for a wide range of distinctly different customers. In 1973, Hallmark introduced a small line of Keepsake ornaments. The initial product line of primarily glass ball ornaments evolved into an emphasis on figural ornaments.
As we glide into the season, let Henry Ford’s Museum of American Innovation allow you to relive holiday memories, remember special people and events, and find new inspiration for your own holiday traditions!
Toys for Tots brings collection efforts to The War Memorial
Donna Satterfield saw it as a way to promote a great cause in an amazing new space.
Nov. 11, the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program held a toy collection event at the Fred M. Alger Center at The War Memorial. Folks dropped off a new, unwrapped toy. This year’s nationwide collection campaign marks the 75th anniversary. This was the 20th anniversary of the local collection event, typically held at The War Memorial.
Satterfield, Toys for Tots co-chair, said the number of toys collected was enough to fill a 25-foot moving van that goes to area children.
“The most rewarding part is seeing the generosity of our community and donating toys for these children who otherwise wouldn’t have a very happy Christmas,” she said. “The War Memorial looks beautiful and everybody thought so. It was a really nice event.”
The program’s mission is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted. Its primary goal is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.
Last year in Wayne and Macomb counties, nearly 34,000 toys were distributed, and over 10,000 children were supported. For more information on this year’s campaign, click on the button below.
Inspired Thoughts is a collection of highly curated content that embraces the spirit and purpose of The War Memorial: arts and culture, community enrichment, leadership, and patriotism.
Derived from the notion that learning from others is the key to success, Inspired Thoughts is meant to shine a light on those making a difference in the world around them. This collection features artists, poets, writers, architects, and every thought leader in-between. Inspired Thoughts is the strongest reflection of what The War Memorial stands for, and what we aim to be.
The content featured on Inspired Thoughts is curated by War Memorial leadership — we also look forward to featuring special guest curators in the near future. If you are interested in providing content for Inspired Thoughts, please email our Communications team at dmurphy@warmemorial.org.