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The
7th Willem Wijnberg AKC CHF Cancer Fundraiser
For the Results of this Fundraiser
<click here>
The Items for this Very
Special Fundraiser were created and donated by Willem Wijnberg,
a very talented artist from The Netherlands.
For the past seven years, Willem has made and donated all of the
items for his AKC CHF Cancer Fundraisers.
Thank you, Willem, for your monumental work to fight cancer in
our Berners.
To see more of Willem's
work and past contributions to our Fundraisers to fight cancer:
<click here>
It's hard to believe that we are holding the 7th annual Willem
Wijnberg AKC Canine Health Foundation Cancer Fundraiser (CHF.)
Willem Wijnberg is a Dutch artist who works all year to paint Berner
items for our annual fundraiser. During the 6 previous fundraisers,
we have raised $105,918.04 to support cancer research and the AKC
CHF has matched that money at least 1:1, giving us over $212,000 to
support the research grants. THANK YOU, Willem, for your wonderful
artwork and your dedication to help raise money to fight cancer.
THANK YOU all for your very generous donations which helped us
raiser this awesome amount! We are ready now to launch our 2009
Willem Wijnberg AKC CHF Cancer Fundraiser.
Researcher Matthew Breen (Professor of Genomics, Department of
Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North
Carolina State University) is one of the researchers who we have
supported in our previous grants. Matthew has been studying
malignant histiocytosis and he sent me this note about his current
research which we supported and the progress he has made in that
research, plus news about a grant he will be submitting for 2010.
Histiocytic malignancies, often referred to as histiocytic
sarcoma (HS) and/or malignant histiocytosis (MH) are of major health
concern to a variety of breeds, including Bernese Mountain Dog and
Flat coated Retriever. As part of CHF-760 Dr. Breen’s lab used
sophisticated molecular cytogenetic techniques to evaluate a total
of 133 cases of MH/HS from Berners and Flat coated
retrievers for genome wide changes in DNA copy number. In this
project they identified numerous recurrent DNA copy number that are
shared between these two breeds and also aberrations thus far unique
to each breed. The regions of the genome recurrently involved have
been interrogated and contain several key genes that are known to be
associated with the cancer process. The data in this study revealed
several key findings:
- 1) MH/HS from BMDs
resident in the USA and in France have recurrent DNA copy
number changes that do not differ significantly, suggesting
that the strong association between breed and disease type
may not be affected by the gene pool of the breed. This
indicates that we may be able to consider the BMDs in USA
and Europe as a single population. Importantly, as new
treatments for this devastating cancer are developed, these
data indicate that they likely will apply to all BMDs with
MH/HS, regardless of geographic origin.
- (2) Analysis of
histiocytic malignancies from BMDs and FCRs indicates that,
in general, there is a gross level of shared genetic changes
suggesting that there is a strong association between
genomic change and histiocytic malignancies.
- 3) Of the five most
highly recurrent regions that are aberrant in MH/HS, at
least three contain genes that already are known to be
associated with cancers
- 4) This study
detected numerous aberrant region of the canine genome (on
seven different chromosomes) that are significantly
associated with the presence of HS affecting either internal
organs or just a limb. This association also separated breed
(BMD ‘vs’ FCR) and so it is not possible to
determine if there is a correlation between 1) breed and
cytogenetic profile, or between 2) anatomical location of
the MH tumors internal masses and cytogenetic profiles,
since there is such a strong association between BMDs and
the presence of internal masses. To resolve this we would
need to investigate the cytogenetic profiles of other
breeds that present with internal MH masses. Further
analysis would allow us to determine if it mass location or
breed that drives the cytogenetic profiles.
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The
next phase of this investigation (pending funding) will be to
evaluate the status (expression level) of the key genes we have
identified, both in affected and unaffected individuals. This will
provide further information towards the development of new
therapies. Also we intend to introduce additional breeds diagnosed
with MH/HS to investigate if the recurrent lesions we have
identified are driven by breed or by the malignancy. We anticipate
that this next phase will be submitted for consideration during the
2010 call for proposals by AKC-CHF.
Another researcher who we have
sponsored by our donations is Elaine Ostrander (head of cancer
genetics at the US National Human Genome Research Institute –
NHGRI.) Elaine sent me this note about her research on Malignant
Histiocytosis earlier today:
"Our preliminary
data suggests that the disease in the Bernese and the Flat Coated
Retriever are primarily associated with different regions of the
genome. Significant progress has been made in narrowing the region
of interest for both breeds. We look forward to receiving samples
from more eligible dogs.
Malignant histiocytosis
(MH) is a disease of great concern for Bernese Mountain Dog (BMD)
owners in both the USA and Europe. As a highly breed-specific
disorder, 80% of MH cases reported in the USA are in BMDs and 1 in 5
BMDs are likely to succumb to the disease. While MH in the BMD is
clearly a genetic disease, the mode of inheritance and the number of
genes involved are unknown. The ongoing MH study being conducted in
our laboratory attempts to identify the genes and causal mutations
for MH in the BMD.
To date we have completed
a genome-wide scan for MH associated genes in 240 BMDs from the
United States, 140 BMDs from the Netherlands and 94 BMDs from
France. By comparing results from all three populations, we have
identified loci that are strongly associated with MH. We are now
performing candidate gene analysis and fine mapping to search for
the causal mutations within these regions that lead to this
devastating disease. In parallel a very large and extremely
well-characterized French Bernese Mountain Dog family is being
genetically studied by the Andre Group in France. These studies
provide both confirmation of existing results, as well as new
insights.
In addition to the work
being done with the BMD, we have conducted our first genome-wide
scan in the Flat-coated Retrievers (FCR). FCRs are often diagnosed
with a disease similar to MH termed histiocytic sarcoma (HS) that
usually presents as a more localized histiocytic cancer. There is
much discussion over the distinction between MH and HS, which
clinically can be very difficult as they occur in the same
constellation of breeds and are both caused by a proliferation of
histiocytic cells. The FCR study may lead to the identification of
additional regions that contribute to the development of histiocytic
cancers. Identification of the genes involved in all histiocytic
cancers will lead to more specific diagnostics and improving
treatments for these diseases.
The Ostrander Lab would
like to thank Berner Lovers, the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of
America, the Flat-Coated Retriever Foundation, The Italian Società
Italiana Bovaro del Bernese club, Swiss Mountain Dogs International
Working Group; The Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; and
the AKC Canine Health Foundation for their generous support of the
Malignant Histiocytosis project.
For the AKC CHF Grant
Progress Report Review
<click
here>
For the update on Dr.
Matthew Breen's Grant #760
<click here>
YOU can make a difference. You can do it by making a donation
to the 7th Annual Willem Wijnberg AKC CHF Cancer Fundraiser. With
your donation you will be helping to support research by both
Matthew Breen and Elaine Ostrander, and also by Catherine Andre
(CRNS – University of Rennes, France) who is also studying
Malignant Histiocytosis in Berners.
With your donation you will get tickets to try to win the
various prizes that Willem has made.
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Joye Neff and Nicky (and Will)
Berner Fundraiser
Mt. Lebanon,
Pittsburgh, PA
Now let's see how much money we can collect. Everyone can
participate!! Show your support by sending in your check today!!
Send your U.S. check, payable to "AKC CHF" to
the address below.
Write in the memo line:
Berner Lovers' DAF
Please include the following:
- Name
- Address
- Phone Number
- E-Mail Address
The
number of tickets you wish to purchase for each item(s)
(PLEASE include item #s and description!)
Send to:
Joye Neff
1182 Firwood Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15243-1825
** I can
accept foreign cheques with no additional fees to convert the
funds to US dollars**
**All foreign cheques should be
made payable to: Joye M. Neff and sent to me at: Joye M. Neff
1182 Firwood Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15243-1825.
Donations to the AKC CHF are tax deductible under current
U.S. tax laws, however donors should always consult their tax
advisors regarding the tax status of their charitable donations.
Please give generously knowing you have a chance to win one
of these beautiful items
Challenges!
I am happy to announce that we have two new Challenges to our 7th
Annual Willem Wijnberg AKC CHF Cancer Fundraiser!
Bobbie
Abern has made a donation to the Cancer Fundraiser and has asked
me to use her tickets as a Challenge - Anyone making a donation
between $25 and $49.99 will receive 4 free Bonus Challenge
Tickets! Pat Long will match these donations up to $250 with her
own donation!
So, if you
make a donation between $25 and $49.99 not only will you get 4
extra tickets from Bobbie, but Pat will match your donation. The
AKC CHF also matches all donations, so you will be getting a
double match with your donations!!
We also
have two other matches for this fundraiser: Nell Ward and Jean
Cheesman will give your 10 free Bonus Tickets when you make a
donation of $50 to $99.99. Naor Wallach, Nancy Melone and Joan
Corr will give you 30 free Bonus Tickets when you make a donation
of $100 or more! !
What a
bonanza!! Your donation will get you tickets for the prizes –
you might even get bonus tickets AND you are helping the Berners
of today and the Berners of the future.
Results!
$14,510.82 is a
phenomenal amount of money to raise in 75 days! Can you believe that
we actually raised $14,510.82? in our 7th Annual Willem Wijnberg AKC
CHF Cancer Fundraiser. Willem works all year painting items for this
fundraiser to fight cancer and his hard work and long hours have
paid off by the donations received.
THANK YOU, WILLEM, for
another spectacular selection of prizes for our fundraiser. You are
AWESOME~!
THANK YOU, JEAN CHEESMAN,
for making another fantastic website for our fundraiser. The website
is a lot of work and you always make sure that the site is
attractive and inviting, and helps us raise a lot of money.
THANK YOU to the
following Berner Lovers who gave their tickets as Challenges and
matched donations to encourage more donations: Bobbie Abern, Jean
Cheesman, Joan Corr, Pat Long, Nancy Melone, Naor Wallach, and Nell
Ward.
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Dates are
November
5th 2009 through January 18th 2010
Tickets
are
$1 each ….or
6 for
$5….or
30
for $20
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Item
#1
First Prize!
A blank canvas.
Willem will make a painting of the dog
of the winner
of this item.
Winner:
Nisha Coons
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Item
# 2
"Wolle in the Frozen Wood"
owned by Susan Wilkinson
The first ticket drawn will win the actual painting
Then 9 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting.
Winner: Tom
McKinney
9 Prints –
Winners: Annie Bell, Kay Taylor, Marsha Schaublin, Jennifer
Kern, Renee Jacquire, Sue Wilkinson (2,) Barb McColgan, Debbie
Sharlow
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Item
#3
"In the Leaves"
owned by Jo Peters
The first ticket drawn will win the actual painting
Then 7 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting.
Winner: Jo Peters
7 Prints –
Winners: Bhavya Heiny, Renee Jacquire, Annie Bell (2,) Linda
Adams, Jo Peters, Stan Smith |
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Item
#4
Painting of Nora
owned by Toby Earlichman
.The first ticket drawn will win the
actual painting
Then 7 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting.
Winner: Cookie
Silvestri
7 Prints –
Winners: Glenda Peirce, Toby Erlichman (2,) Cookie Silvestri,
Alise Burbridge, Annie Bell, Jennifer Kern
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Item
#5
Painting of Sanford the BARC Dog
The first ticket drawn will win the actual painting
Then 8 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting.
Winner: Annie
Bell
8 Prints –
Winners: Marsha Schaublin, Jennifer Kern, Linda Adams (2,)
Georgiana Webber, Nicole O’Brien, Isa Friend, Lea Mehrkens
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Item
#6
Painting of Cheryl Thornton's BARC dog, Mikki
The first ticket
drawn will win the actual painting
Then 8 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting.
Winner: Cathi Dovico
8 Prints –
Winners: Lisa Hawes, Janet French, Cheryl Thornton (2,) Jennifer
Kern, Patty Wellinger, Annie Bell, Linda Adams |
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Item #7
Painting of Willes Bear the BARC dog
The first ticket
drawn will win the actual painting
Then 8 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting
Winner: Jo Peters
8 Prints –
Winners: Sal & Cherie Massaro, Jennifer Kern, Karen
Thompson, Linda Adams, Donna Wiles, Jo Peters, Annie Bell, Patti
Small & Diane Smith
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Item
#8
Painting of Cassy the BARC dog
The first ticket
drawn will win the actual painting
Then 8 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting.
Winner: Tom
McKinney
8 Prints –
Winners: Kim Moran, Terri Babcock, Heidi Henderson, Marian
Bragdon, Patti Grijalva, Jennifer Kern, Patty Wellinger, Marsha
Schaublin
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Item
#9
Painting of Ariel and Friend,
Ariel is a BARC dog
The first ticket
drawn will win the actual painting
Then 7 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting
Winner: Diane
Meslinski
7 Prints –
Winners: Diane Smith & Patty Small, Annie Bell, Gina
Sappenfield, Jennifer Kern, Patty Wellinger, Marsha Schaublin,
Sal & Cherie Massaro
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Item
#10
Painting of Clover the
BARC dog
The first ticket
drawn will win the actual painting
Then 8 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting
Winner: Annie
Bell
8 Prints –
Winners: Stan Smith, Linda Adams (2,) Jennifer Kern, Pat
Douglass, Annie Bell (2,) Georgiana Webber
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Item
#11
Painting of Delilah Muth the
BARC dog
The first ticket
drawn will win the actual painting
Then 7 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting.
Winner: Terri
Babcock
7 Prints –
Winners: Nancy Bard, Sal & Cherie Massaro, Coral Denis,
Patty Gartmann, Dawn Flaherty, Pat Douglass, Dawn Weber
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Item
#12
Painting of Alexis Smith's Duke
The first ticket
drawn will win the actual painting
Then 7 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting.
Winner: Tom
McKinney
7 Prints –
Winners: Sheila Durfee, Alexis Smith, Janet French, Marian
Bragdon, Karen Thompson, Sal & Cherie Massaro, Linda Adams
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Item
#13
Painting of Janice Parky's BARC dog, Halley
The first ticket
drawn will win the actual painting
Then 20 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting.
Winner: Janice
Parky
20 Prints –
Winners: Annie Bell, Donna Wiles, Janice Parky (2,) Julian Jess,
J. Jenkin , Linda Adams (2,) Jennifer Kern, Mont Cape, Liz
Caldwell, BARC Fundraiser (9)
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Item
#14
Painting of Cleo the
BARC dog
The first ticket
drawn will win the actual painting
Then 7 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting.
Winner: Linda
Adams
7 Prints –
Winners: Lisbeth Plant, Julie Greco, Jennifer Kerns, Annie Bell
(2,) Marsha Schaublin, Linda Adams
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Item
#15
Prints of Willem's Family Portrait
8 tickets will be drawn and each winner will get a print
of this painting.
Winners: Lisa
Baldwin, Stephanie Biksacky, Annie Bell, Diane Smith & Patti
Small, Coral Denis, Kathy Sibley, Donna Wiles, Audrey Donovan
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Item
#16
Painting of Emiel
owned by Clair Magee
The first ticket
drawn will win the actual painting
Then 8 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting.
Winner: Pat
Tackett
8 Prints –
Winners: Sue Wilkinson, Linda Adams, Annie Bell (2,) Pat
Tackett, Lisbeth Plant, Jennifer Kern, Sherri Starbird
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Item
#17
Painting of an unknown
BARC puppy
The first ticket
drawn will win the actual painting
Then 7 additional tickets will be drawn and each winner
will get a print of this painting.
Winner: Tom
McKinney
7 Prints –
Winners: Karen Thompson, Annie Bell, Randy Gaines, Renee
Jacquier, Ellie Kittler, Jennifer Kern, Liz Caldwell
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Item
#18.
8 prints of the painting of
Patti Finley’s,
Missy
8 tickets will be drawn and each winner will get a print
of this painting.
Winners: Kathy
Sibley, Georgiana Webber, Annie Bell (2,) Linda Adams (2,) Patti
Finley, Jean Smith
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Item
#19
Oval medallion for a necklace
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Linda
Adams
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Item
#20
Oval medallion for a necklace
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Linda
Adams |
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Item
#21
Oval medallion for a necklace
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Lori
Jacobson |
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Item
#22
Oval medallion for a necklace
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Carol
McArthur |
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Item
#23
Oval medallion for a necklace
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Lori
Jacobson |
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Item
#24
Oval medallion for a necklace
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Ellie
Kittler |
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Item
#25
Oval medallion for a necklace
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Linda
Adams |
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Item
#26
Oval medallion for a necklace
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Ellie
Kittler |
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Item
#27
Oval medallion for a necklace
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Fara Bushnell |
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Item
#28
Oval medallion for a necklace
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Donna
Wiles |
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Item
#29
Oval medallion for a necklace
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Alice
Gordon |
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Item
#30
Service plate
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Dottie
Schulte |
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Item
#31
Service plate
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Valerie
Chase |
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Item
#32
Service plate
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Sherri
Starbird |
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Item
#33
Wall plate
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Michelle
Ryan |
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Item
#34
Candy plate
with Berner and
golden edge
Winner: Signe
Strawser |
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Item
#35
Candy plate
with Berner and
platinum edge
Winner: Annie
Barton |
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Item
#36
Candy plate
with Berner and
platinum edge
Winner: Patti
Rosner |
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Item
#37
Candy plate
with Berner and
platinum edge
Winner: Carol
McArthur |
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Item #38
Framed oval china pendant with Berner
Winner: Linda
Adams
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Item #39
Framed oval china pendant with Berner
Winner: Marsha
Schaublin |
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Item #40
Framed oval china pendant with Berner
Winner: Pat
Tackett |
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Item #41
Framed oval china pendant with Berner
Winner: Linda
Adams |
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Item #42
Little china heart with Berner head
Winner: Linda
Adams
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Item
#43
Little china heart with Berner head
Winner: Denise
Taylor
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Item
#44
Little china heart with Berner head
Winner: Nancy
Bard
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Item
#45
Little china heart with Berner head
Winner: Gina
Sappenfield
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Item
#46
Little china heart with Berner head
Winner: Linda
Adams
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Item
#47
Little china heart with Berner head
Winner: Linda
Adams
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Item
#48
Jewelry box
Winner:
Carol McArthur |
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Item
#49
Heart ornament
for the
Christmas Tree
Winner:
Teresa Godfrey |
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Item
#50
Heart ornament
for the
Christmas Tree
Winner:
Jennifer Kern |
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Item
#51
Heart ornament
for the
Christmas Tree
Winner:
Annie Barton |
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Item
#52
Heart ornament
for the
Christmas Tree
Winner:
Shirley Bartmess |
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Item
#53
Heart ornament
for the
Christmas Tree
Winner:
Teresa Godfrey |
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Item
#54
Wine Glass
Winner:
Joni Payne
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Item
#55
Wine Glass
Winner: Jacque
Spiezer |
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Item
#56
Wine Glass
Winner:
Sal & Cherie Massaro |
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Item
#57
Crab Cocktail Glass
Winner:
Linda Adams |
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Item
#58
China basket
Winner:
Gina Sappenfield |
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Item
#59
China basket
Winner:
Linda Adams |
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Item
#60
China basket
Winner:
Helen Hayes |
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Item
#61
Small oval China
plate
Winner:
Murray Johnston |
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Item
#62
Small oval China
plate
Winner:
Linda Adams |
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Item
#63
Small oval China
plate
Winner:
Kerry Batting |
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Item
#64
Small oval China
plate
Winner:
Lori Jacobsen |
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Item
#65
Small oval China
plate
Winner:
Linda Adams |
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Item
#66
Small oval China
plate
Winner:
Linda Adams |
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Item
#67
Small oval China
plate
Winner:
Linda Adams |
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Item
#68
Small oval China
plate
Winner:
Carol McArthur |
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Item
#69
Small oval China disc
Winner:
Liz Caldwell |
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Item
#70
Small oval China disc
Winner:
Carol McArthur |
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Item
#71
Small oval China disc
Winner:
Patti Rosner |
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Item
#72
Small oval China disc
Winner:
Janet French |
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Item
#73
Small oval China disc
Winner:
Marsha Schaublin |
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