Plastic Model Mojo
Plastic Model Mojo, a podcast dedicated to scale modeling, as well as the news and events around the hobby
Plastic Model Mojo
From Pennsylvania to Oregon: A Coast-to-Coast Tour of September Model Shows
Scale modeling contests are evolving beyond just competition, as demonstrated by two fascinating September shows highlighted in our latest episode. From Pennsylvania to Oregon, we explore how clubs are reimagining the traditional model contest format to build stronger communities and create more engaging experiences.
The Shenango Valley Area Scale Modelers in Pennsylvania will celebrate their 40th annual show on September 20th, continuing their successful implementation of the gold-silver-bronze judging format they adopted four years ago. This approach has streamlined their process, reduced category complexity, and better rewards modeler effort. Located in the northeast corner of IPMS Region 4, the show draws talent from throughout the Pittsburgh-Cleveland-Erie triangle, creating a high-quality display of modeling craftsmanship across all subjects.
Meanwhile, the Oregon Mid-Valley Modelers have completely reimagined their event as the "Oregon Modelers Jamboree," focusing on club participation and community building alongside traditional competition. Their innovative approach includes dedicated club tables for modeling groups throughout Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, with special outreach to automotive modelers and Gunpla builders who are sometimes underrepresented at traditional shows. With eight clubs confirmed to participate, this event truly celebrates the community aspect of the hobby.
Both shows demonstrate different paths forward for scale modeling events – whether through more inclusive judging systems or by emphasizing club participation and community building. These innovations offer promising glimpses of how scale modeling contests might continue to evolve while maintaining the high standards and competitive elements that many modelers enjoy.
If you're anywhere near Albany, Oregon or Hermitage, Pennsylvania on September 20th, or our own Military Modelers Club of Louisville show in Shepherdsville, Kentucky on September 27th, consider attending one of these shows to experience the evolving model contest scene firsthand. The community connections made at these events often become the most rewarding aspect of this otherwise solitary hobby.
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Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.
All right, kentucky, dave and Mo Jovia, we got a double bill show spotlight for you guys, we are spanning the country, aren't we? We are coast to coast with the most. I should have done my with Wolfman Jack impersonation there.
Kentucky Dave:No, you shouldn't.
Mike:Thanks for the vote of confidence my friend.
Kentucky Dave:There you go.
Mike:Well, you know we're post-Nats and the weather's cooling off, at least here in Kentucky. Man, it was a little chilly this morning. You ain't kidding. Shows are picking up again.
Kentucky Dave:Yes, post-nats, you get the fall show boom.
Mike:And we got a couple to talk about yes, we do well, the first one up dave is right here in our own region, region four, but up in the the far northeast corner yep I don't know that I've ever been to that one no, I I have not either, but I'm aware of it well, everybody can be aware of it now. So, uh, let's get in the first spotlight, dave, and up tonight. First is Joe Paycheck, from the Shenango Valley Area Scale Modelers.
Kentucky Dave:And they are also in Region 4, like us, but they're up in the opposite northeast corner of our region, just about. I think they are at the exact. We are at the actual bottom southwest corner, region four, and they are at the top northeast corner, so the two ends of region four. Joe, how are you doing tonight?
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):I'm doing real good. Thank you very much. How are you guys?
Mike:We're good, we appreciate the opportunity to let us feature your show for September. Thank you very much.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):You're good, we appreciate the opportunity to let us feature your show for.
Mike:September. Thank you very much. You're welcome. You're very welcome. Well, let's just start out with the who, what and where bit of this and tell us the generals of the show We'll start with there. That's always a good place.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Okay, we're the Schenengel Valley Area Scale Modelers, an IPMS chapter. This is going to be our 40th annual yearly model show, or SEVASCOM Doesn't really roll off the tongue but that's a hard thing to abbreviate. So the area that Chenango Valley is is basically between Pittsburgh, cleveland and Erie, also the Youngstown-Warren area and Erie also the Youngstown Warren area Really large, covers a very large, somewhat rural area. We've had a lot of modelers come through over the years, a lot of names that people would actually probably be familiar with. We get pretty good turnout at our shows.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Last year I think we had 330 models on the tables, pretty well representative of the hobby. A lot of cars, a lot of automotive modelers, but armor really well represented Aircraft comes and goes, same with ship modeling. We've seen a lot of increase in figures over the last few years and we're starting to. You know we trying to get more gundam and mini modelers to the shows and that's been picking up. So yeah, and and dioramas, like myself I mean we usually have a pretty good amount of dioramas as well. So it's I think it's about as well represented as any of the you know, semi-larger shows in larger cities like p and Cleveland, just maybe not quite the volume.
Kentucky Dave:Now where is the show actually?
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):held, so this year it is going to be at St Michael's Social Hall, 2230 Highland Road in Hermitage, PA. That's going to be a new venue for us. It is going to give us a little more to work with than we have in the past using VFW halls and armories. We're going to have two separate rooms, one for the model show itself and then one for vendors. The show itself starts on Saturday, september 20th. Registration begins at 9 am to 12 pm and judging is going to start promptly at 12.15.
Kentucky Dave:And when do you all anticipate wrapping up, because everybody always wants to know. When will judging be over, awards out and we can wrap?
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):up. We're hoping for a firm two hours of judging and at the end of it we're going to do something a little bit different this year Because we're going to have two halls. We are going to give it a shot and close the one hall and then go into judging and at the conclusion of that we are going to be taking all of the medals and we are a gold, silver, bronze judging style. So we're open. We've been doing that. This will be I think the fourth year and we've been doing that. This will be I think the fourth year and we've been really successful with it.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):I mean, it's had all the benefits you usually get with that sort of system. It's cut down on all the disparate categories. Um right, you know we're able to go through the models a bit faster and you know sort of reward effort a little bit better. I think it's not to editorialize too much, but I think that is one of the things that systems can give you sometimes. But all of the medals will be presented on the tables, all of the golds, silvers, bronzes. The only awards are going to be the special categories and of course, the juniors. We'll call all of them. But we're going to try to slim it down and hope that that speeds things up. The goal is to be done with everything at three o'clock Perfect.
Kentucky Dave:Oh wow. Yeah, you can do that. You'll have a lot of happy modelers, yeah.
Mike:Well, before we get to two more, you said it's the fourth year you've run an open system.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Yeah, I think it's been about four years yeah system.
Mike:Yeah, I think it's been about four years. Yeah, we've mentioned on these showcases before, or maybe in one of the more recent episodes, that seems to be a growing trend, but yours is four years on now, so that's really interesting.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Yeah, I find this. Now we have a lot of modelers who have been in the group for a substantial amount of time. I mean our demographic does skew older, I think it's fair to say, although we have had some younger members coming in. But one thing that I really notice about this club is everybody travels and they go to a lot of the regional shows. So we pick up a lot of what people in Region 4 and adjacent regions are doing. And Tri-Rivers down in Pittsburgh, they've been using a gold, silver bronze for a while, yeah, yeah, and doing real well with it. There's a lot of cross-pollinization between our club, Pittsburgh, and Erie, I'd say traditionally. As a matter of fact, one of our founding members was Jim Bonanni, who was also one of the founding members of IPMS Pittsburgh, and we have a special memorial award for best British subject in his name and we give that out every year.
Mike:Yeah, that's John's father, right.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):That's.
Kentucky Dave:John's dad yeah.
Mike:Yep. Well, does this show have a particular theme this year and any other special awards?
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Well, so not really.
Mike:Other than the one you just mentioned.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Yeah, yeah, that's pretty much our well. We are going to do something interesting this year and it's not necessarily a theme, but in conjunction with our I don't know if you want to say brother or sister club up in Erie, we're going to be doing a people's choice cup where both clubs are going to have a special display area. We're going to have a selection of models to represent each club and then people are going to vote on that and the winner of our club will then go up to Erie and will compete at their show, coming up, I think it's in October, just basically to keep things interesting and a little bit of friendly rivalry. So that's something else new we're doing this year.
Mike:So is it a traveling trophy. So if they win, they take it back with them.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):That's exactly it.
Kentucky Dave:Yep, it's the Stanley Cup.
Mike:It's a college football trophy. It's a beer barrel. Yeah, yeah, keg and nails.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Yeah, Our other awards, it's pretty much what you'd expect Best Aircraft, Best Military Vehicle, TV Movie Vehicle, Best F-16 Figures, World War II Entry, Our special awards one of our former, unfortunately late, members, Nick Busco we're going to be giving out His son's also in the club, so he presents the Best Muscle Car Award. Now his son's also in the club, so he presents the Best Muscle Car Award. And then we have Best Civilian Vehicle, Best Dirt Track Racer, of course, the Doc Bonanni Award for Best British Entry, Best Stars and Bars Aircraft, of course, Best in Show and Ace of Aces. And we have a special sponsored award this year for Best Small Scale Model, by a modeler named Eric with a K.
Kentucky Dave:That's a very specific award.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):He's a very specific kind of guy.
Kentucky Dave:I was going to say. Something tells me that's a targeted award.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Yeah, yeah, yeah, but we like to keep it loose. We're pretty informal, honestly, and we try to keep it fun, because if it's not fun, it gets tedious.
Kentucky Dave:Yes, Are you going to have food on site or their food trucks or restaurants?
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):nearby. We're going to have the little cafeteria type thing with hot dogs and snack type selections, no food trucks or anything like that. But the area immediately around the club is pretty well represented with your typical chain restaurants Quaker State and Lube's. This is their home location, so the home quaker steak downtown sharon. There's a smattering of other restaurants real close by.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):There's a couple of attractions. There's something called craniacs christmas tree lane which is this long-standing I don't even know how to describe it. It basically is this long. It's a store that sells Christmas trees and Christmas stuff and hobby stuff too, but it has this really long promenade full of Christmas tree displays and it should be up and running by that part of September. So that's good for kids and families. And there's also the avenue with the 444 flags, which dates back from the Iran hostage crisis, where there's one flag for each day of that, and it's a nice little park and has a nice little memorial set up for it as well. So it's something to see and it's right. It's within maybe a quarter mile of the venue and Hermitage is a charming little sort of like mixed development area, shopping plazas, that kind of stuff, so it's a nice place to just drive around.
Kentucky Dave:Now what's your vendor?
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):area like Vendor area. I haven't seen it, but I believe we are at somewhere between 40 and 45 tables all sold and it'll be separated. So we typically have a pretty good mix of vendors heavy on the auto side. But I've also been noticing we've been getting some sci-fi vendors last couple of years too, and supposedly we have some new first time vendors, some people doing 3D printed stuff, so that should be interesting. I think it's going to be a little a few new faces than we've seen in previous shows.
Kentucky Dave:Yeah, mike and I were at the Nats not that gosh awful long ago and the number of new vendors doing 3D print stuff, it's multiplying out there big time.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Yeah, it's just the nature of the hobby. Anymore too Sure, you got a raffle during the show yes, we do have a raffle. We almost always have donated kits. It's usually pretty well populated. I'm trying to think if we have anything really special. Usually you just kind of show up and see what is on offer.
Kentucky Dave:So you said this is your 40th anniversary, 40th time you've done this Yep 40th anniversary show. Well then, it should run like clockwork by now. You probably do this in your sleep.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Well, lord knows not me, I mean, I've only been a member of the club for a few years but it is surprising how well it is organized. It usually comes off pretty much without a hitch. Our judging situation it's typically chosen that the judges are chosen by our chief judge, who is also the club president. Because we have a lot of returning modelers, it's usually pretty easy to get a quick selection of judges together, get the floor running and everyone's on the same wavelength. For the armor side, which I'm most familiar with, we have a fair amount of AMPS members come up. We're all pretty familiar with a gold, silver, bronze system. We can cover our armor entries usually pretty quickly and thoroughly. And the car guys similar story just a you know, just a different milieu. But you know they know what they're doing.
Mike:As far as registration is concerned, is there any online forms availability or where would be the best online place to find information and what is the registration process?
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Our registration process, unfortunately, is still pretty much day of and paper. Haven't really worked that out too fast, but our registration area goes pretty quickly. We haven't had too many problems with backing up and our only real online presence right now is the Facebook group. The only real online presence right now is the Facebook group and that group is IPMS Shenango Valley Area Scale Modelers. And when you get any of those Spell. Shenango S-H-E-N-A-N-G-O yeah.
Kentucky Dave:That's for us. Spelling challenge guys down here in Kentucky, I think you would probably get it.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Yeah, it's definitely a mouthful. You've got a Facebook page. Yes, yeah, we also have a club entry on the IPMS page as well. We are running into some problems with the old venue coming up on the IPMS site, old venue coming up on the IPMS site. But if you get that far, you can just link to the club and the new venue is pinned. So it shouldn't be that difficult once you get to the Facebook page, and we'll hopefully have that fixed pretty shortly.
Mike:Well glad you mentioned that, because that could be problematic if folks weren't aware of that ahead of time. So good for that. You mentioned the Dr Bonanni Award. Is there any other special events or anything else that's unique to your show other than the judging format, which is not unique to your show, but it's certainly?
Kentucky Dave:It's becoming.
Mike:It's becoming non-unique or not irregular.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Anything else. I mean I think we're a pretty standard setup but we do deviate a little bit. Like you said, the gold, silver, bronze is kind of new, just the general kind of vibe For a smaller show. We have a pretty good representation of really good regional talent, quality-wise. I've always been impressed by what ends up on these tables. At this show you do end up seeing a lot of the same stuff you know shown in Pittsburgh and Cleveland and whatnot.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):But Dustin Diaz, he's a he's this year's amps master. This was his original club and he would go and he still goes to our shows yearly. So you know we're not lacking for representation of some of the better people out there in the hobby. So that's pretty. I think there's a lot of value to be said about that. Otherwise, I just think it's nice to see a representation of all the different modeling styles out there, without any real big ego kick or that kind of thing. We try to be as inclusive as we possibly can and just keep things welcoming, which I think is everybody's goal really. But I think this club does it pretty well.
Kentucky Dave:A nice, relaxed day is definitely what I want when I go to a model contest To see my modeling friends have a relaxed time. Yeah, there's a contest going on. Yeah, there's vendor room going on and I'm going to enjoy all of it. And if you walk away with that, that's a good day.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Yeah, I mean not that this is that much of a draw if you go to a lot of competitions, but I think our awards look nice. You know we've had a very good vendor for years now and I mean you start to accumulate these things pretty heavily, let's be honest. But it is nice to have something that has the club's name on it. You know, sort of as representative of the show you've gone to and you know we we try to do that and you'll also like I think is the norm anymore you'll see a lot of challenge coins and tokens and things like that on the tables, because you know we try to reward effort as much as possible and because we have smaller judging teams and we try to get done quickly, we circulate. So if people have questions about what's going on with the judging or want to know a little bit more of what may have been the difference between a silver and a bronze, we're usually pretty available with that.
Kentucky Dave:Well, that's good. Feedback is one of the things that people do seem to want to want.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Yeah, I mean it's tough to obviously do it on forms and things like that. I mean, as long as it's a small cadre of guys who you know you can kind of interact with, that helps a bit.
Kentucky Dave:So now wrap us up and tell us who, what, when, where. Give us the whole spiel to wrap it up.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):Okay, once again, this is the Shenango Valley Area Scale Model Con, which is SEVASCOM if you need to try to pronounce that, sevascom 40. And it is going to be Saturday, september 20th 2025. And it is going to be Saturday, september 20th 2025. It's at St Michael's Byzantine Catholic Social Hall, 2230 Highland Road, hermitage, pa 16148. And you can find us on Facebook at IPMS Shenango S-H-E-N-A-N-G-O Valley Scale Model.
Mike:Fabulous Well, joe. We wish you the best of luck with your show. Hope for high attendance and a record-setting day and do us a favor.
Kentucky Dave:Take plenty of photos day of show, post them on the dojo so that folks who aren't able to make it there get to see your contest, your new venue and the models on the tables.
Joe Pacak (Shenango Valley):All right will do and thank you guys very much for having me on. It's very much appreciated.
Mike:Oh, you're very welcome. It's our pleasure. We love doing this and supporting all the regional shows out there. Yeah, thank you, thank you.
Kentucky Dave:well, they're in a triangle of a fairly high population density up there, so I bet that's going to be a pretty good one. Yep, I've got cleveland and columbus and pittsburgh and erie and buffalo. I mean that's close by for all of them. That should be well attended well.
Mike:I hope it's well attended and I hope they have a huge success, as we always wish these folks. It's a lot of work to put on a show.
Kentucky Dave:Yep, if you're in the area, go. Mike and I are big proponents of people going to shows and interacting in real life with other modelers. You'll enjoy it.
Mike:Well, if we were attending this next show, dave, we'd be leaving on a jet plane. There you go. We would All the way out to Oregon on the West Coast. Let's see what the fine folks out there got to say. Well, dave, we are going to zip off to the West Coast now because there's a show out in Oregon hosted by the Oregon Mid-Valley Modelers Club, and we're going to be speaking to Mr Doug Reed from Albany, oregon. Doug, how are you doing tonight Great? Hey guys, thanks for having me on.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):You're very welcome.
Kentucky Dave:Glad to have you. So where is Albany, oregon, exactly?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Albany, oregon, is in between Portland and Eugene down I-5, about an hour and a half a little short of that south of Portland, about 40 minutes north of Eugene.
Mike:All right. Well, we hear you got a show coming up here soon. Won't you give us the ins and outs about when that is and where that is, and all that?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Yeah, we do, thanks, and so we're calling this the Oregon Modelers Jamboree. It's the first year under that name. It's the third year that we've done a fall show in September. It's going to be held at the Linn County Expo Center, at the fairgrounds in Linn County in Albany. The date is Saturday, september 20th. The gates will open at 9 o'clock in the morning and awards and closeout will start at about 3.30 in the afternoon. We've got time for vendors and all to set up early, about 7.30 or so, and, like you said, it's hosted by us Oregon Mid-Valley. But we're kind of really seeing this as an Oregon show. We've really pushed for a lot of involvement from the main clubs and groups in Oregon, so we're really looking forward to that.
Kentucky Dave:So when does your registration close?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Registration closes at noon. So between 9 and noon will be the contest registration.
Mike:Yeah, Well, is there opportunities for registration online or forms to be printed out online, and where can folks find such information?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Yeah, we have. No, there's not an online registration system per se, but we do have forms available, entry forms that can be downloaded and printed from our website, oregonmidvalleymodelerscom all one word, so people can go there and download and print them out, and we'll have them, of course, available at the registration desk as well.
Kentucky Dave:Okay, we'll put a link in the show notes to the website.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Yeah, be great.
Mike:Well, we're always curious about the show formats. Is this a standard IPMS type affair, or you guys do something different out there?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):It's going to be. The contest itself is standard IPMS. We'll have a one-2-3 judging format with no sweeps. We'll also have display-only categories kind of integrated in with the contest tables so they won't just be standing out alone, and we've got 57 categories that are open for people to enter. So I think something we're doing a little different is that we're really promoting the idea of club tables. So we've sold so far about 18 club tables to, I think, six or seven different clubs that will be showing and we're really encouraging the clubs to show up and promote who they are. You know, bring some stuff to build and work on, show people what you do in the hobby, Bring some stuff to display and really make it kind of about the hobby and the clubs as well as what we're doing for the contest and vendors and all that. So we really want that sense of it.
Kentucky Dave:That's a great idea.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Yeah, we've enjoyed it. It's been good interaction with the clubs along the way. We've really reached out to several groups here in the state.
Mike:Now again, is this the first time you've done such a thing?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Yeah, it is. It is and that's why we used to call it Mid-Valley Madness. That was a kind of our show prior and that's why we changed the name. And again, we want it to be a kind of a celebration of what we do in this hobby and really try to make it a state show. You know that people in Oregon can feel like this is our show from that standpoint.
Mike:That's a real interesting take and to really celebrate the hobby more than just have a one, two, three up contest. That's a really unique thing. You know that's usually one of our questions what's unique and special about your show? I guess you kind of just answered that that would be a really interesting post-show to see how that was received and how it went. But if you've already sold that many tables I can't imagine it going sideways.
Kentucky Dave:Yeah, yeah, obviously you've got vendors, so approximately how many vendor tables do you have?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):We've sold almost 40, 38. I think it's the last count as of this morning. Vendor tables we will literally have thousands of kits for sale between the vendors that are coming. That we know who. We know what they're bringing. We've got over 16,000 square feet of space in the Expo Center so it'll be a good-sized room to work from. The Expo Center has been great. They've been wonderful hosts. They love having us there. They're eager to see this to grow as it goes, so they've been great partners with us.
Mike:As far as growth's concerned that's a point we often like to touch on is just generally, historically, how big a show has this been in terms of entrance and number of entries and that sort of thing? What can folks expect there?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):So, going off of last year's numbers, we had about 350 models on the contest tables. Growth is always hard right to guess. Well, what's it going to be like this year? The feedback we're getting, we're sensing it's going to grow. We're hoping to see maybe 400 to 500 models. Maybe We'll just have to see how that goes, but the feedback and the energy seems to be pretty good. Something we've done is we've something often neglected in shows in the area, unless they're specific to that, has been the Gunpla and the automotive side of things, at least in our experience. So we've really tried to partner with those two areas within the state and within the clubs that are around and we're really trying to promote that this year and we'll see how that goes.
Kentucky Dave:That's a great idea.
Mike:To do that? Are you tapping into other clubs that are automotive and Gunplus-centric?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):We do. There's two clubs out of Portland that we're working with the West Coast Gundam Alliance is their name, and the Society of Automotive Builders Association, the Saba Group. Those are two in particular that we've reached out to and they're both very eager. They're going to be helping us with judging, helped us with some category definition and the like, and yeah, and we're really excited for that. And actually we've got other groups, you know, the IPMS Club in Salem, the Oregon Modeler Society up in Portland and other groups too. They've all been really engaged and supportive for it. So it's been good.
Kentucky Dave:Now, modelers are usually hungry people.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Do you?
Kentucky Dave:have food on site, or are there going to be food trucks, or there going to be restaurants nearby, or what's the food situation?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):look like we will have food on site and in the room. Oh, okay, it's great the facility we're in in the corner of the room, that we have this large space, they have a kitchen and food and stuff and they've arranged for a food vendor supplier to be there. So roughly 10 o'clock till 2 or so we'll have food available typical, you know, sandwiches, some hamburgers, things like that. So, yeah, it'll be right there a place to eat and there's a lot of places nearby, there's a lot of places within a mile or so of the fairgrounds.
Mike:So, aside from your jamboree theme and celebration of the hobby, is there any other theme like is normally accustomed with, an IPMS type invitational event or anything like that?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Yeah, we've got two, we've got. So the show theme, we're calling it Anything Oregon. So any subject, any build somehow related to the state that there's an award for that. That'll be a subject theme, subject award. We'll have a trophy for that and we're encouraging people to be creative in that. Whatever that looks like, and our club, our club mascot or symbol, I guess you'd say, is a shark mouth. That's been traditional with our club since we've been formed and so we've sponsored in the past a best shark mouth award for anything, anything related to shark mouth. And this year Tony Quattaro, who's known as the deck guy he does beautiful bases and all. He's actually sponsored that award and he's got a beautiful trophy for us. So those would be the two main awards.
Kentucky Dave:How is your awards presentation? Do you all put out the first, second and thirds on the table and just announce the best ofs and the juniors, or do you announce all the awards for all the categories? What's that look like?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Right, yeah, no, we have little medallions with ribbons that will have the categories on them. Those are the category awards and those will go on the tables after judging is done, like is often done, and then we announce the best of each of the classes there's nine of them and then, of course, the main awards as well, the judges best to show the people's choice, and then the two sponsored awards as well. We will do it that way.
Mike:Well, that's another thing we're seeing. Quite a bit of Dave is that folks are trying to shorten that up a little bit. Have you done it that way historically.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Yeah, we've always done that and I think most of the shows actually I've been to have done that. I think one of them I went to earlier this year did it, where they announced all the categories as well.
Kentucky Dave:But we've done it this way for a while Tell me again exactly the when, the where, the details of the show.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Okay, so it is September 20th. Doors open at 9 am. Registration closes at noon. We'll start handing out awards at about 3.30. It's at the Lynn County Expo Center in Albany, oregon, at the fairgrounds there. And something else I'll mention too, as a closing maybe, is that we have T-shirts available. Oh, we decided to come up with T-shirts and so they'll be available on site, and of course you can even contact me and order them through the mail if people want. Oh, that's neat, we're glad to promote it. So that's kind of the deal.
Kentucky Dave:Is this the first year you've done T-shirts? Are you doing it because you changed the name and and all of that?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):We did it. We did it. It's the first year, yeah, and we did it with the whole promotion and what we're trying to achieve. So, yeah, it was really intended to do that and we intend to keep it going. We'll see how that goes.
Mike:Well, that was that was my next question Is this is this a, a theme and format you hope to make the? It's like a sea change in the way you've done things in the past.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Yeah, yeah, we want to keep it going. The Oregon Modelers Jamboree we hope will become an annual thing. That's our plan. We've got the venue booked out for another couple of years and we'll continue to promote it within the clubs and not just the state. I make a big deal of the state but within the Northwest We've got Seattle. Guys will come down. They've got a couple tables, so yeah, it'll be. We want to make this a growing thing for just a hobby in general.
Mike:Yeah, we've got a few friends up that way.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Yeah you watch out if Tim Nelson or Jim Bates shows up, you know I'll tell you they've been great partners with us over the years.
Kentucky Dave:They're great guys In terms of those guys.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):It's been great. We love those guys.
Kentucky Dave:Yeah, don't tell them that. Yeah, okay, that'll just be between us.
Mike:Well, again, just for my curiosity, how many other clubs do you have participating in these extra tables you mentioned?
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):We have, I think eight signed up so far. Okay, and yeah, we have eight so far. Two are from the Seattle area. We've got I think six signed up from Oregon so far and all eight clubs kind of so far in Oregon are going to be there.
Kentucky Dave:That's great, that's fantastic participation.
Mike:Yeah Well, I'm really interested in how this is going to shake out at the end, and we would certainly want an update, post-show and even photographs. You can provide them back to us through the Plastic Model Dojo Facebook group. Oh yeah, you've ever talked to, and I really think that's a unique take that could get some traction with a lot of other clubs and kind of be a possibly even a format change adopted by other clubs. It's something that would be more common throughout the nation. I just think that'd be a really cool thing.
Kentucky Dave:I do too. I really think that that idea, just like display in general, is growing no-transcript.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):this goes and we'll adjust as we go, but that certainly is our dream and our goal, dave. Yeah.
Mike:Well, doug, we wish you the best in this show. And again I want to repeat that we're real curious how that the club table works out, and I think that's a really terrific idea. And again I want to repeat that we're real curious how that the uh, the club tables works out, and I think that's a really terrific idea, and we certainly want to hear a follow-up about that, either on the dojo or via email. We can handle it that way. Uh, we wish you all the success on your show, just like we wish everybody have it have success with their shows. I mean, the shows are a lot of fun and it sounds like you guys got your pulse on the community out there in Oregon, so hopefully the folks up in the Pacific Northwest will have just a grand time attending your event.
Kentucky Dave:And Doug, I got three requests for you before you go. Number one repeat the website where people can find forms that they can print and fill out ahead of time.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Okay, it's one word OregonMidValleyModelerscom.
Kentucky Dave:Okay. Number two is when the show's going on. Take a lot of pictures, particularly of those club tables, post them on the dojo. And number three when this episode drops the day this episode drops, please go on to the dojo and post a picture of your all's flyer for the show. Got it? The dojo? They see the flyer, so that'll have the information displayed in front of them permanently, just to help maximize the number of people who get to hear about this show and possibly attend.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Okay, I will do that, Thank you, that's great. Appreciate it and I appreciate that all you guys are doing to promote these shows in general and hobby in general, so it's really good. General and hobby in general, so it's really good.
Kentucky Dave:Well, as you know from listening to the show, we we are big fans of model shows, not necessarily for the contests although the contests are nice and all but for the fact that you get to meet up with other modelers, some you've never interacted with before, some that you may have only interacted with online. And the social aspect of a show is really good for what is otherwise many times a very solitary hobby.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):That is. That's spot on. And our sense of building community is what we're kind of all about as a club as well just promoting what we do together and enjoying each other doing it. So, yeah, spot on with that.
Mike:All right. Well, let's get back to your own bench, doug, and we thank you for joining us, and again, we wish you the best of luck with your event Great.
Doug Reed (Oregon Mid-Valley):Thanks guys, you're very welcome, appreciate it.
Mike:Well, dave, that club table angle is sure to be a success. I can't think that's not going to go over well, yep.
Kentucky Dave:No, I think that's something that could catch on and be replicated at shows across the country.
Mike:Yeah, I do too, and you know we joked after we got off of the recording session with him that the cell is a couple of folks have a place to sit down during the day if you're having a man, a club table, because sometimes the dogs get tired of some of these.
Kentucky Dave:Yeah, especially a lot of these places that have concrete floors. I'll tell you what, though, about? The only downside at the Nationals was, after four days on hard concrete, my dogs were barking.
Mike:Now, mine were too, and my lower back was just trying to try to complain a little bit, but we survived. So hopefully, hopefully, Doug will follow up and let us know how that went. And I just want to reach out to Mo Jovia and ask any guys out there who are planning a show either the latter part of this year or sometime in the next year, If hearing that would put that on your radar something to consider, because I think it's just a really good idea.
Kentucky Dave:And if any of the listeners are out in that area, please go to the show Again. Mike and I are huge fans of shows and interacting with other modelers in real life, and that sounds like it's going to be a really interesting show, so if you've got the ability to do so, go.
Mike:Well, those aren't the only shows in September, dave. No, they're not. Our own Military Modelers Club of Louisville has one too, and we pitched it in the show spotlight last year, but we'd be remiss not to mention it, at least at the tail end of this thing. Yes, well, dave, we got the information for that. Our show is Saturday, september 27th at the Pariquet Springs Convention Center in Shepherdsville, kentucky. Folks can go to our website, mmclorg. That's mmclorg slash 2025 hyphen contest.
Mike:We'll put this in the show notes as well. Our theme this year is the Great War. We're kind this in the show notes as well. Our theme this year is the great war. We're kind of in a little population center too. We get a lot of folks from a lot of the surrounding cities St Louis, nashville, nashville, knoxville, sometimes Chattanooga, cincinnati, columbus, columbus, all those folks. Yeah, great theme this year World War I, a great theme For a great war. Columbus, all those folks. Yeah, great theme this year World War I, a great theme For a great war. Right, the Great War, no words, the Great War, the Great War. So folks check that out on the club website. We'll link it in the show notes. So there's a lot of shows folks all over the country. Consider, and until these shows start. Dave, as we always say, so many kicks, so little time. Bye.
