Posted 4/15/2007 11:49:15 AM by Ed Limbach
News from Ed Limbach viewed 1744 times
Sunday, April 15, 2007 - Aurora,Ohio
Ed Limbach, CFA Director of Public Relations and Media recently interviewed Pete Adams who will be the next President of CFA following the Annual Convention in May.
INTERVIEW WITH PETE ADAMS INCOMING PRESIDENT OF CIRCUS FANS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA BY EDWARD W. LIMBACH CFA DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MEDIA
Pete, we appreciate your willingness to chat with us about your interest in the circus and your upcoming induction as President of the Circus Fans Association (“CFA”) of America. How long have you been a member of CFA?
I joined the Circus Fans Association of America in January of 1977 when Howard Coleman was CFA President and J. Allan Duffield was Secretary/Treasurer. Like many new members, I was invited by a circus fan who was Bob Wiegel who lived nearby in Ellicott City, Maryland. Bob had found out about my circus interest when I attended a local CMB model display at the Baltimore County Fair in Essex, Maryland and wrote me a letter of invitation. At the time I was working as a school administrator at his neighborhooding high school. I then became involved with the Rudy and Erna Rudynoff Tent #127 and helped with the CMB National Gathering in Maryland where members of the tent and ring worked together. I became the second President of the Rudynoff Tent in Baltimore in my second year of membership in CFA.
Most people that I know who have circus as their hobby got interested in the circus at an early age. Can you recall the event that perked your interest in the circus?
When I was a young boy, my parents always went to the Boumi Shrine Circus in Baltimore at the Fifth Regiment Armory and since this was an activity in November, it became my annual birthday party. Over the years I missed only two years of attending the annual Boumi Shrine Circus. In addition, my dad and I would also go to see Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus when it was set up on what is now a fruit and vegetable market on Eastern Avenuein Baltimore. At that time I knew of no other circuses performing in my home area. I do remember going to the Steel Pier in Atlantic City also to see Hunt Bros. and the diving horse.
That’s very interesting. I know that you are now retired but before retiring you lived in Maryland. Do I recall that you were in education as a career?
For thirty years I worked in education, first for Baltimore County Schools and then for 28 years in the Howard County Public Schools in Maryland. My starting position was a teacher of math and then I worked as an assistant principal for many of the thirty years. During that time, I pioneered with others the early education of teachers and administrators in drug education for the State of Maryland. Another interest of mine was satisfied as a program director for various student exchange programs including American Field Service, Youth For Understanding, and the Experiment in International Living. This also led me to be the chairperson for 20 years from 1972 to 1992 of the Foreign Travel Study Committee for the Howard County Schools. In that role I worked and helped organize student travel around the globe in addition to leading some of the groups with my wife. As my interest was in the youth I served as the regional advisor to the Howard County Student Government Association and in turn was a member of the Maryland Student Government Association Board of Directors.
Following thirty years of being an educator and retiring at age 51, I sought out a career in the field of travel. Over the next 13 years, I worked as a travel consultant, did marketing for and managed a travel agency, was the Director of a Travel School all associated with that same company. I led travel groups, redefined curriculum in travel, and brought to the school a recognized national travel curriculum for agencies across the state of Maryland. Then in 2003, I reverted back to being an outside independent contractor as I moved from Maryland to Florida.
In Maryland I know that you were what I would call a high profile circus fan. Can you recall the positions that you have held in the CFA while you lived in Maryland?
I served as the second president of the Rudy and Erna Rudynoff Tent #122 in Maryland, was active in the Emmett Kelly Tent in Hagerstown, the Kenneth Feld Tent in Virginia, and in later years the Adam Forepaugh-Barry Lubin Tent in Pennsylvania. I co-chaired with my wife and the Beurlens, two National CFA Conventions in Columbia, MD in 1987 and in Ocean City, MD in 1999. In regard to the National CFA, I was appointed Director of Public Relations by Ralph Decker during his presidency and served several years in that office for other presidents. I have served on several other committees over the years including the finance committee, the long term planning committee, and the public relations committee. In 2002 I decided at the suggestion of my friend Amos Bolieau to run for national office. I ran for CFA Eastern Vice President and was successful only having to give it up due to moving to a different region. When the Southern Region became vacant, I ran for and became CFA Southern Vice President.
When you retired you and your wife Shirley moved to Florida. As you once told me it was your dream to live your hobby on a daily basis and that the Sarasota area provided that opportunity. Can you tell us what activities you are involved with in the Sarasota area?
Sarasota, Florida is an ideal place for those who love the circus. Not only does circus live here every day, but you run into circus people in almost every place you visit. Shirley and I started volunteering for Circus Sarasota and Sailor Circus shortly after our first few months in town. We started by ushering for their programs and became more involved over the years. Ushering at Circus Sarasota led into a full season stint as the House Manager in 2004 and today we continue to volunteer as ushers. With Sailor Circus we got a little more involved after we started ushering and realized that much money could be raised through the sale of novelties which at this time was an inactive program with them. Together with Don McGarvey, we developed over the past two years a solid fund raising aspect of novelties for which we are duly proud. The ability to enhance the program for Sailor Circus has been most rewarding and we have developed a special closeness with the kids of the circus. As volunteer leaders we have also included the circus fans of Sarasota in the Sailor Circus Novelty project and we all have benefited from that experience.
In the early days of 2005, Shirley and I both started volunteering for the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota. Shirley got involved with the circus archives and I was tapped to help assemble the Tibbals model circus. I learned much that year working with Howard Tibbals and his wife Janice and how to place models effectively but also the many ins and outs of model building. It truly was a learning experience. Following the end of this program, I became a Ringling Greeter working at the Tibbals Learning Center on Monday mornings and Thursday afternoons. When the Asolo Theatre reopened in October of 2006, Shirley and I got involved in ushering for its various programs. Together we work every Monday evening and I also am involved in the Tuesday all day programs.
We have given time and effort to support the efforts of the local Tent #122 which Shirley serves as President and also to the Showfolks Club by working and attending their activities and donating time to their circus endeavor. We also belong to the Hoxie Tucker-Bob and Mary Jo Couls Tent in Central, Florida and the Duggan Bros. -Arnold Malley Tent in Atlanta to which we recently joined.
It is obvious that you are extremely qualified to be our next President. Do you have any special goals or plans for the organization while you are President?
I want for our organization a membership roll that does not get smaller and with what is now happening thanks to the CFA Membership Committee and its fine chair, the future is brighter. I truly believe that most of our members will come from the age group that has raised their family or at least have been settled for awhile but we will continue the development of the youth program who are our future recruits. My specific goals with youth is to start a youth scholarship for incoming new youth members who are recommended by the youth circuses and I will be asking for your financial support. If 10% of these youth members continue throughout their life, then our organization will grow and our age balance will improve. Please see my first President’s Message in the May/June White Tops or attend the CFA Convention in Hershey for further details.
We will continue to support OABA and its goals and where possible lend them a hand. Likewise we will offer to the Circus Producers Association an open door which is what they have recently provided to us.
During the past year the Youth Circus Committee has been excellent progress in reaching out to the Youth Circuses of North America? What is your reaction to this effort and do you favor continuing this effort? We will definitely continue the involvement of the Youth Circus Committee. They have made monumental moves in just a short period of time and under Jim Cole will continue this effort. The fact that banners and posters have been placed in facilities around the youth circus sites in the USA is important, but the number of “hits” we are getting on the youth web site is phenomenal. It is beyond our wildest dreams and as it grows so will our contacts with youth. As the web site grows it will expand itself by having more information and photos sent by the youth themselves which is our ultimate goal. We want the website to be for them. The spin off to our organization and membership will not necessarily come first or quickly but it will happen over time.
The circus industry in America is going through a dramatic change these days. What do you see as the future of the American Circus Industry? Will it survive?
I believe in the circus in the same way that the circus owner believes you must work each day to make it successful. It is not a dream but a reality to see new shows occasionally opening, but we also need to recognize the circus owner who has been “in it and for it” for a long time. Our support, attendance and buying that ticket at the front gate is equally important to their success. When called by a circus owner or representative, please try to assist where possible with their special need. You become their link to your town and no one can help them better than a local person. With this in mind we must also realize that today the circus is going to change and we can not live in the past. Shows will grow, some will get smaller, the style of the performance may change but yes it will survive! There are Dreamers out there and I may be one of them! Please DREAM with me!
Because you are so active with your hobby can you tell us how many circuses you see each year?
I have no idea of the number of circuses I see each year, but I know that over the past year I have seen all three units of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Big Apple Circus, UniverSoul Circus, Circus Pages, Alain Zerbini Circus, Kelly & Miller Circus, Circus Sarasota, Sailor Youth Circus, Showfolks of Sarasota Circus, Cristiani’s Cirque du Follies, Nock Family Circus, Circus Hollywood, Circus Florida, Walker Bros. Circus, Gibsonton Circus, Circus Anastasini, Stars of the Moscow Circus, Royal Hanneford Circus, Coronas Family Circus, Star Family Circus, Esqueda Family Circus, Cirque Dreams; A Jungle Fantasy, and Cirque du Soleil. In other years I have seen Wenatchee Youth Circus, Circus Chimera, Peru Amateur Circus, Hall of Fame Circus, Carson & Barnes Circus, Vasquez Circus but none of these were close enough this year to visit or I was not in their area. In my international travels I have seen some of the finest circuses in the world including the Moscow Circus, Circus Knie, Circus Nock, Zirkus Stey, Circus Krone, Circus Sarasanni, Circus Althoff-Jacobi, Circus Schumann, Circo Mundial, etc. It is a wonderful world out there and circus has a common language of family values.
You are blessed that your wife Shirley enjoys your hobby with you. She will make a great first lady of the Association. Would you like to comment on her circus activities?
Shirley served as President of the Rudy and Erna Rudynoff Tent #122 in Maryland and is completing her second year as President of the Showfolks Tent #122 of Sarasota. She is an active circus fan, has worked with me at the Tibbals model while under construction, and worked with circus archives in the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Circus Museum. Currently she is also an usher for Monday night shows at the Asolo Theatre and serves as an usher for Circus Sarasota. With Sailor Circus she is a partner in the fund raising of novelties for the show. Shirley actively supports all that I do, goes to almost all circuses with me, and will indeed make a great first lady of the circus.
For fans that might not be actively involved with CFA but are thinking about increasing their participation, what would you advise them to do?
STEP RIGHT UP! Let me know of your interest. We need new blood on all committees and we need more people to step up and say I want to be an officer or committee member for CFA. If you would like to be a member of any committee, please let me know and I will find a place for you. Just because I don’t know you personally does not mean that I don’t want you. You have to open yourself to those of us who serve as your leaders. Contact me directly at 941-378-9596 or by email at circusp@comcast.net.
I know that you were in charge of the Ocean City, Maryland convention so you have convention experience. Do you have great plans for your convention in 2008?
As Sarasota is a true definition for the word circus, we have lots of plans which include a celebrity luncheon, several circus performances, and a visit to the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. We will be staying at the Sarasota Cay Resort which in itself is right on the water front and you will be close to the action. You will be near the celebrities that have made a home in Sarasota and in some cases meet and greet them during the convention. Our opening night will be at Sailor Circus Arena where you will be entertained by the youth circus and a social hour will follow so you can meet the Circus Stars of the Future. Likewise on Friday night, you will visit the Winter Quarters of the Alain Zerbini Circus and be entertained with a full and complete show under their big top. But also don’t forget the opportunity to visit the John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art and specifically our new Tibbals Learning Center, our redone Asolo Theatre, and the newest attraction the Searing Art wing. Some other activities such as great speakers, a unique auction, and post and pre trips will also offered to you so plan to come early from April 16 to 20, 2008.
We wish you the very best in your term as President of CFA? Is there anything you would like to add to this interview?
I appreciate the support that has been given to me over the years by my wife, my son, and my daughter who have all attended many circuses and are always there for me. In addition I look forward to serving CFA which is important to me and I will give it my very best. After I finish my term of office, I also pledge to continue to volunteer and serve our organization.
Circusly,
Pete Adams
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