The Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair

friends of the Fair: the flock

Our membership is called "The Flock", and we are the best of the best - we are "Merino"! Because we are still a new event, we have decided that all new members for the first 5 years of our membership program (which began in 2008) will be given the designation "Charter Member". Because we are very grateful for those who have been with us since the beginning, we will give them the special designation "Founding Charter Member" and honor them with (**) in the list below.

about merino

Wool from the Merino sheep is the most prized wool in the world. The Phoenicians introduced sheep into Asia Minor and North Africa. They reached Spain in the 12th century. Spain began breeding sheep for wool quality and softness - resulting in the Merino sometime in the 14th century. Fine wool became a source of income for the Castile in the late Middle Ages. Exportation of a Merino sheep was a crime punishable by death until 1723 when the ﬁrst ﬂock was exported to Sweden. Later, a large ﬂock was given to Saxony in 1765. A small ﬂock of Merino sheep was the prize possession of Thomas Jefferson. Merino prices vary according to the ﬁneness of the wool.

our members deserve recognition! We thank you all!

guild charter members:

Cultured Purls Knitting Guild ** , Green, Cary, IL
Woodstock Weaver's Guild **, Nurturing, Woodstock, IL

** denotes Founding Charter Member

business charter members:

Creative Design Studio, Elmhurst, IL
The Fold, Marengo**, IL
J4 Alpaca Farm Store, Woodstock, IL

** denotes Founding Charter Member

individual charter members:

Mary Ahn, Carol Stream, IL
Sandy Andrews**, St. Charles, IL
Connie Antler, Barrington Hills, IL
Janet Baldwin Booster, Plainfield, IL
Sue Blaine, River Forest, IL
Jane K Brown, Highland Park, IL
Linda Bullen, Chicago, IL
Barbara Bundick**, Woodstock, IL
Sally Carson**, Wonder Lake, IL
Carol Cassidy-Fayer**, Crystal Lake, IL
Melissa Chen, Gurnee, IL
Janice Clingman, Lodi, WI
Anne Copeland**, Palatine, IL
Paula Copple, Arlington Heights, IL
Bonnie Cox, Peoria Heights, IL
Jody Cull, Libertyville, IL
Deborah Daigle, Palatine, IL
Phyllis Dickinson**, Buffalo Grove, IL
Bill Dineen**, Chattanooga, TN
Kymm Dorward, Island Lake, IL
Carol Drummond, Hennepin, IL
Alex Fayer**, Crystal Lake, IL
Connie Fritsche, Mundelein, IL
Linda Gleason, Des Plaines, IL
Tiffany Grala, Lindenhurst, IL
Patricia Harper, Springfield, IL
Denise Harrison, Palatine, IL
Pamela Hirsch**, Algonquin, IL
Marjorie Holme, Lansing, IL
Andy Holmes, Chattanooga, TN
Helen Hopkins, North Barrington, IL
Audrey Hutchcraft, Mundelein, IL
Victoria Jackson, Sherman, IL
Elizabeth James, Byron, IL
Deborah Jasinski, Chicago, IL
Patricia Jeffers**, Belvidere, IL
Paula Kalkbrenner, McHenry, IL
Amanda Keen, Crystal Lake, IL
Diane Keen, Crystal Lake, IL
Linda Kluss, Evanston, IL
Gilbert Koenigsaecker, Bolingbrook, IL
Mary Kohlmeier, Lake Bluff, IL
Susan Kostner, Mundelein, IL
Nancy Krunig, Chicago, IL
Tami Kucera, Chicago, IL
Margaret Lian, Crystal Lake, IL
Arthur Lifshin**, Oak Park, IL
Mary Ellen Lohr, Fishers, IN
Patricia Lupori, Round Lake Beach, IL
Judy MacDonald, Harvard, IL
Karen Madsen, Grayslake, IL
Karen Maki, Elgin, IL
Helen Mathey-Horn, Germany
Marie McKay, Wauconda, IL
Rebecca McMillan, Elgin, IL
Linda Michelau, Mundelein, IL
Patty Mitmoen, Lake Barrington, IL
Traci Moskal Frederick, Plainfield, IL
Debbie Moyes**, Highland Park, IL
Sue Mullins, Malta, IL
Toni Neil**, Marengo, IL
Barbara Ober**, Crystal Lake, IL
Pat Offerman, Clive, IA
Irene Oldson**, Rockford, IL
Andrea Oliver, Oakbrook Terrace, IL
Beth Oliver, Los Angeles, CA
Karen Ortlund, Batavia, IL
Jody Oxley**, Glen Ellyn, IL
Barbara Papamarcos, IL
Melinda Parrent**, Crystal Lake, IL
Rebecca Perkins, Princeton, IL
Marina Post, Chicago, IL
Elizabeth Ralston, Antioch, IL
Margaret Rapp, Arlington Heights, IL
Karen Rasmussen, Oconomowoc, WI
Renee Reimer, Saint John, IN
Andrea Rhodie**, Vernon Hills, IL
Adrienne Rieck**, Olympia Fields, IL
Debra Rogers, Park Forest, IL
Leslie Ropas**, Schaumberg, IL
Susan Rubendall, Rockford, IL
Diana Schoeneck**, Algonquin, IL
Carolyn Sievers, Rounds Lake Park, IL
Susan Swartz**, Highland Park, IL
Leslie Thais, Brazil, IN
Betsy Tower, Grayslake, IL
Elizabeth Tures**, Crystal Lake, IL * In Memoriam*
Connie Vivado**, Johnsburg, IL
Ann L Wheatley-Seamon, Winthrop Harbor, IL
Lorna White, Evanston, IL
Eva Wilson, Milwaukee, WI
Helen Wilson, Long Grove, IL
Martha Witcher, Metamora, IL
Heidi Woods, North Aurora, IL
Crystal Woolsey, North Chicago, IL
Elizabeth Zafiris, Hawthorne Woods, IL

** denotes Founding Charter Member

"This event truly has changed my life for the good, and I am thrilled to be considered a charter member."
Lorna White, IL

member appreciation: we wanted to show our appreciation for our Fair members, who have gone above and beyond to invest in the Fair. So we create, with the help of Fair vendors, several membership appreciation totes each year. We cannot afford to give one to every member, but each year a few receive our tote of appreciation. Everyone who joined the Fair as a member during the period from Fair to Fair have an opportunity to participate in the drawing for the totes.

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