THE BIRTH OF THE NEW ZEALAND DOLL FEDERATION In 1985 my life changed forever. I had made my first two Porcelain Dolls. The pleasure I got from these and the others to follow is hard to explain. I entered this wondrous world of Dolls with a passion. By 1989 I had made dozens of Dolls, entered numerous Doll Shows and was President of the Wellington Porcelain Doll Club and was starting to realise that here in New Zealand the whole Doll Industry was very fragmented. There were few qualified teachers or studios. Most Doll Makers sat around their kitchen table to create their masterpieces. Doll Shows were being run with enthusiasm, but with little professionalism. I voiced my concerns to numerous doll People. They were on the same wavelength and my suggestion of a National Body was perhaps the answer. I realised I had to put this to the test, so sent out a letter outlining my ideas to as many "Doll People" as I could. The response was exciting. The Wellington Doll Club generously agreed that a venue could be made available at their Show in March 1990. Another mail-out was done to invite interested parties. A meeting was set for 15th March 1990. The attendance at this meeting was overwhelming. It was a perfect opportunity for everyone to air their views, the majority being in a positive frame of mind. The motion to form a New Zealand Doll Federation was carried with only one vote against. A Steering Committee was formed to set the framework and the first meeting was held in Wellington on Saturday 28th April 1990. At the inaugural meeting our aims and objectives were set, the emphasis being to set Standards and to encourage over the next seven years the Federation with members input. Go Forth with Love and Pride
Aro ha nui
Val Anthony
Founder
May 1999. In this story, Val's sister Colleen Crooks tells us about an event in the last days of Val's life and as you read this story you will understand her dedication not only to her faith, but to everything she did. Her strength has remained with the Federation and she will always be our 'guiding light'.
A few months before Val died, I had read in a Parish Newsletter about an upcoming event in Otaki. It was to be a Pilgrimage of Prayer. The congregation were to take a stone and build a cairn and offer our prayers and thoughts and hopes for the New Millennium. I suggested to Val that she come up from Paraparaumu and I would drive down from Palmerston North - and we met in Otaki which was our childhood home. That was the last day Val drove the car but with her usual determination she was determined to be there. Those of you who have been to the Convent School in Otaki will know it is quite unique, the Church, School and Marae are all in the one area and very beautiful.
As we were welcomed onto the Marae Val noticed people carrying quite large stones, some even had rocks. I had forgotten to tell her about this so quickly bent and picked up some gravel from the playground and slipped a small pebble into her hand explaining what it was for. "Don't you think my stone is too small she asked? I replied, "Val, the smallest stone makes the best foundation as they hold all the big stones together".
My Eulogy continued on to how Val held our families together but if we were to transpose the same thoughts to Val's place in the Doll world, I am sure you will see she was the corner stone that started the foundation of the Doll Federation. All her hopes and dreams were realized during her lifetime and its up to all of us to continue to build on it.
p.s. If you ever visit Otaki, do go out to the Marae and at the foot of Our Lady's Grotto stands the Stone Cairn we built that day. Look closely and you will see Val's little pebble keeping all the bigger stones from falling.
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