Greeetings

Plans are being finalized for the Marker Dedication and Unveiling Ceremony scheduled for Saturday, September 3, at 3:00pm. Invitations will be mailed later.

On behalf of the Board of Celebrating Patsy Cline, I want to remind you of the opportunity to be a Sponsor for this noteworthy cause and exciting event. Those contributing $100.00 to the Marker project will be invited to a special reception following the Unveiling Ceremony. Feel free to forward this message to others Fans, Supporters, and Community Leaders who you think might want to be a Sponsor.

The deadline for being a Sponsor is July 15.

VENDORS AND FANS MAKE NEW FRIENDS
Wrangler® Fan Fair Exhibit Hall
1:45 PM

Fans enjoyed the last day of autograph signings and popular exhibits in the Exhibit Hall. Several new vendors debuted booths in 2005 including the Celebrating Patsy Cline (CPC) exhibit. This volunteer organization is leading the effort to build a museum for the legendary singer in her hometown of Winchester, Va. and what better way to spread the word than CMA Music Festival. “The response here has been fantastic,” said Philip Martin, President of CPC. “People keep telling me that ‘it’s long time overdue’ (and they’re) so glad to see it coming together.’”

Martin and his staff were on a mission this week to search for Cline memorabilia to add to their collection, some of which was on display in their booth. One piece was a 1955 photo of Cline holding her daughter Julie.

“We noticed that it was a Wrangler blouse (that Patsy was wearing). So we took the photo over to the Wrangler booth and showed it to them and fans that were shopping,” Martin said. “The interaction between fans, artists and other booth managers this week has been great.”

Remembering Patsy’s Life
Marker To Be Placed At Singer’s Local Childhood Home

By: F.C. Lowe
The Winchester Star

A highway marker to commemorate the life of country music legend Patsy Cline has been approved for placement at her childhood home in Winchester.

Fourteen markers were approved on June 1 by the Department of Historic Resources to highlight aspects of the history of the Commonwealth.

The program, which began in 1927 and is one of the oldest in the country, has approved more than 2,000 markers throughout the state, said Scott Arnold, program manager for six years.

Two years ago, he tried to contact someone in Winchester to get the ball rolling for a marker here, but he said he could find no one interested at that time.

In March of this year, Phillip Martin, president of the area Celebrating Patsy Cline organization, pursued the matter and worked with Arnold to make the marker a reality.

In other business, the OTDB learned that an interim museum dedicated to local singing legend Patsy Cline will be opening in March 2006 on the Loudoun Street Mall.

(Karen) Helm, who serves as secretary for the local organization Celebrating Patsy Cline Inc., said the museum’s location has been selected but she would not comment on a specific site, other than to say it is in a “desirable location.”

“It will be a place we mature as a museum,” she said. “Five years from now, we will evaluate our needs. It may become a permanent location.”

Helm said if the permanent museum selects another location, Celebrating Patsy Cline Inc. would still be dedicated to having a presence on the walking mall.

An official announcement about the interim museum, Helm said, will come in November.

A ‘Sweet Dream’ Comes True For Patsy Cline Fan

By: F.C. Lowe
The Winchester Star

Standing in the very spot where country music legend, Patsy Cline, and Charlie Dick exchanged wedding vows on Sept. 15, 1957, a couple from Missouri tied the knot Wednesday afternoon in Winchester.

This was a dream come true for the bride who has been an avid Patsy Cline fan since the age of 5.

Driving the more than 14 hours to be married in the hometown of the singer, Elena Beisner, 37, of Cedar Hill, Mo. and Mark Stevens, 47, of St. Louis, Mo. were wed in the house on Kent Street Patsy purchased for her mother.

The bride had always wanted to be married in the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, the home of the Grand Ole Opry, where Patsy was a regular.

Since she did not feel this would become a reality, Beisner opted for getting married where Patsy did, and it all came together this week.

‘Like A Rebirth’
Area Organization Invigorated With Projects

By: Melanie Mullinax
Special to The Winchester Star

Establishing a permanent Patsy Cline Museum in Winchester and restoring the legendary country singer’s childhood home at 608 S. Kent St. are the long-term goals for the Celebrating Patsy Cline organization.

But in the last 100 days, the organization has been invigorated with a flurry of activity resulting in a new Web site, new banners, new T-shirts, new radio spots, a toll free number, plans for an interim Pasty Cline museum in the fall of 2005, and a good-will trip to the CMA Music Festival in Nashville in June.

When asked about the new energy surrounding the 10 year-old organization, long-time board member, Judy Sue Huyett-Kempf points to Philip Martin, who was elected president of CPC in February of this year. “Philip has committed a whole new focus and business style to the organization,” Huyett-Kempf said. “It’s like a rebirth.”

Part of that rebirth includes CPC representation at the annual CMA Music Festival in Nashville, June 9-12.

Temporary Museum Plans Special Patsy Cline Day Festivities

By: Melanie Mullinax
Special to The Winchester Star

The Celebrating Patsy Cline organization is busy working toward opening a 2,500-square-foot temporary museum by the fall of this year.

Eventually the goal is to open an even larger permanent Patsy Cline museum in Winchester.

But in the meantime, Patsy Cline fans near and far had been left with no local venue to learn about the legendary singer from Winchester.

Small displays of Cline memorabilia hosted in the Kurtz Building in downtown Winchester and the Winchester Frederick County Convention and Visitors Bureau no longer exist.

But a new local business, A Gift To Remember, on the Loudoun Street Mall, has stepped in to fill the temporary need.