Once again, The High Plains Modelers eschewed their regular monthly meeting, to gather at the Golden Corral restaurant in Loveland, Colorado with their spouses and guests for dinner and fellowship at the High Plains Modelers annual Christmas Party.
Dinner was followed up with Awards and the ever popular and sometimes cutthroat Gift Exchange.
HPM 2025 Model of the Month Winners:
The three club members with the most points from the monthly Show-N-Tell (January-November) results were:
- First Place: Tomasz Menert
- Second Place: Dennis Book
- Third Place: Chad Wierema
They each received a gift card to HobbyTown. Great job guys!
Gift Exchange:
Each participant brings a wrapped, modeling‑related gift valued at around $30. We’ll draw numbers to decide the picking order. The first person chooses and opens a gift. Each person after that can either unwrap a new gift from the pile or “liberate” an already‑opened gift from someone else. If your gift gets swiped, you immediately get to open another one from the table or steal from someone else.
A gift can only change hands three times, after that, it’s considered “locked” and can’t be taken again. The trading and stealing can get lively, but in the end, everyone heads home with a new kit or something fun for their bench.
What’s Coming for Next Year?
New Officers Take the Reins in 2026
In November, the club membership approved a new Executive Board for 2026. The new officers are:
- President: Dennis Book
- Vice President: Chad Wierema
- Secretary: Marty McCloy (second term)
- Treasurer: Micheal Adams
- Past President: Randy Robinson
A hearty thanks to the outgoing officers who have put in a year (some, several years) of service to the High Plains Modelers club. Check out the Club Officers page for contact info and mugshots of the new Executive Board members.
Upcoming 2026 Events:
Be sure to check the High Plains Modelers Calendar for details and locations of upcoming events. We’ll have the usual Show-N-Tell and Model of the Month contests, along with some exciting How-to Clinics at our monthly meetings. There will be monthly Build-N-Bull sessions, community events, and our annual High Plains Con coming in the fall.