Cartoonists Needed for St. Jude Walk/Run Events in September

For a few years now the NCS has sent cartoonists to military units and hospitals to draw for soldiers and help boost morale. Now, in that same spirit of charity and fun, the NCS is partnering with St. Jude to help bring some joy to kids who are battling cancer.

Cartoonist Steve McGarry draws with a patient named Tyler at a St. Jude event.

They kicked off that effort with a huge event at St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis during the 2016 Reuben weekend. Sixty NCS members spent the day at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital drawing for the patients and their families and handing out goodie bags crammed with t-shirts, sketchbooks, crayons, toys, comics and books. The artists then attended a special dinner where they did more art to be sold later to benefit St. Jude.

If you missed out on that, you have another opportunity to help! In September, St. Jude supporters and 61 cities across the country will participate in the Saint Jude walk/run to end childhood cancer. Last year NCS chapters participated in New York City, Connecticut, and Philadelphia, and everyone had a great time.

Different cities hold walks/runs on different weekends in September. Since our chapter covers several states, its not really practical for our chapter to organize one specific event. So we are leaving it up to individual cartoonists to participate locally in their cities. Find your local walk/run here. If you would like to volunteer your talent, time, and/or artwork, contact Kathy Fairbanks (Kathy.Fairbanks@stjude.org) for details. Also, the NCS will be happy to send you all kinds of promo materials to use at one of these events, as well as goodie bags and other stuff.

(If you live in the Lincoln, NE area contact Paul Fell. He is in the process of trying to organize something.)

Help lend your talents to a worthy cause!

Fall Chapter Mtg Oct. 28-29 in Sioux Falls - MASTER LIST of info!

We're putting the final touches on plans for our fall chapter meeting in Sioux Falls, SD, site of many past successful chapter weekends, and a place that we all enjoy visiting. The meeting is open to anyone interested in cartooning and the NCS - you don't have to be a chapter member! We hope you’ll mark the dates on your calendars and we’ll look forward to seeing you in Sioux Falls… in the Fall!

DATES: Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29.

LODGING: Country Inn and Suites, downtown Sioux Falls. (605) 373-0153
We have a group room rate for $109 per night. Buffet breakfast is included. A block of ten rooms is being held until Sept. 28, so make your reservations ASAP. If those fill up before 9/28, let us know and we’ll get them to release more. Otherwise, after 9/28 room rates will be based upon availability. For reservations, call 605-373-0153. Mention National Cartoonists Society, North Central Chapter.
      
COST: Many of the weekend's events are free and open to the public. However, if you are a chapter member or are interested in joining the NCS and would like to join us for private events such as meals, meetings, etc. then there is a registration fee of $40 per person for the weekend. The fee will cover Friday and Saturday night meals and lunch at noon on Saturday. The Country Inn and Suites room cost includes breakfast. Please make out checks to Ken Alvine. If you wish to pre-register, mail your payment to Ken. For a mailing address contact him at kenalvine@qwestoffice.net.

RSVP's NEEDED: We need an approximate head count so if you are planning to attend please RSVP to Ken Alvine (kenalvine@qwestoffice.net) by Wednesday, Oct. 19. If you are a professional cartoonist new to the NCS you can still register/attend after that date but please let Ken know if you are planning to come.


PROGRAM SCHEDULE

FRIDAY AFTERNOON:

12:00pm - Carpool leaves from Country Inn and Suites

1:30-4:30pm “Meet The Cartoonists” event at Lincoln High School. We set up cartoonists at four different tables and the students can rotate from table to table to visit with each cartoonist. We did this a few years ago and it was a huge success! Lunch provided but we need a definite head count for this event.

FRIDAY EVENING: Dinner at Country Inn & Suites.
  
SATURDAY:
Breakfast at the Country Inn and Suites

10:00-11:3am "Meet the Cartoonists" at Zandbroz Bookstore in the heart of downtown. If you happen to have books or other print materials to sell, bring ‘em along. Zandbroz will also have a window display of recent editorial cartoons from around the USA. If you have something to submit scroll down for info.

12:00-1:00am Lunch at Minerva’s (just up the street from Zambroz)

1:15-5:00pm Guest speaker presentations and raffle at Sioux Falls Public Library.

Time permitting, We have set aside a slot at the end of the Saturday presentations for a “Show and Tell”. We welcome members who would like to do a 10 minute mini-presentation on their latest project or endeavor. In the interest of time we have to limit this to the first 5 people who volunteer.

For the raffle, we hope you will contribute original art, recent books, or other cartoon related stuff. We’ll also raffle off a doodle board featuring drawings by those in attendance as well as a goodie bag of swag that all attendees at the NCS Reuben Weekend get.

Scheduled speakers:

• Paul Trap, creator of the syndicated comic strip “Thattababy”.

• Richie Graham, University of Nebraska professor and author of Government Issue, a wonderful chronicle of how the US govt. has used cartoons for the war effort and other campaigns during the last century. 

• Steve Sack, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and co-artist of the cartoon activity panel "Doodles".

6:30pm - Traditional evening dinner at the Country Inn & Suites.

SUNDAY: 
Breakfast at the Country Inn and Suites. Head for home.


SHOWCASE YOUR CARTOONS (EVEN IF YOU CAN'T COME)
To coincide with our chapter meeting, Zandbroz will have a window display of editorial cartoons from around the US dealing with the presidential campaign. If you would like to contribute a cartoon or two, email Paul Fell at pfell@neb.rr.com by Oct. 1. Images must be JPEGs at 300dpi and sized to fit within an 8"x10" mat opening. Paul will print out the cartoons and mat them for us, because he's awesome that way.


SHARE AND INVITE!
Most of the weekend's events are open to the general public. We especially want to reach out to potential new members, which is anyone within our chapter region who has a serious interest in professional cartooning. Our chapter covers a wide geographic area (see map on the right). If you know any cartoonists in those states, why not send them a note and let them know about the weekend?

You can also spread the word on social media. Ken Alvine has put together a press release and a nifty flier image (below). Click to view/download a hi-res version to post on your own website or social media.

Finally, you can also invite people to follow our chapter on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date info and other cartooning goodies.
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Walter "Wally" J. Malins, RIP

Walter “Wally” J. Malins
April 22, 1947 — July 15, 2016

Yesterday, we received word that our very dear friend, Wally Malins, passed away. Those of you who ever attended the Disney Hometown Toonfest knew Wally. He was very much a part of the Toonfest and was always there with a smile, a handshake, and probably a cool libation for you.

I knew Wally as a generous soul. A man of kind heart and a wonderful laugh. He loved time with the cartoonists and did all he could to make us welcome.

Our hearts and prayers go out to Kaye and the family. We will miss this wonderful man. There will be from this day on, a very large space left in Marceline that will be impossible to fill.

Rest well, Wally.