LCCA members gather in Perry, IA with Club Founder Jim Gates CM#1 (Recap)
On Saturday, Oct 6, the LCCA was back in Perry IA to celebrate the history of the LCCA with club founder and charter member Jim Gates CM#1. Jim and his wife Josephine hosted an open house at their home and a train show and swap meet at the community center across the street. Members enjoyed running Lionel trains on Jim's expansive layout and looking at the various LCCA memorabilia throughout the entire day.
Members from all around the country participated and met with Club founder Jim Gates and other Charter members Gerry Dangelo (CM#67), Owen Bryne(CM#42) and Chuck Skjeveland (CM#71). This was a great opportunity for our members to personally meet Jim and the other charter members, learn about the club's origin, run Lionel trains, get good deals on Lionel trains at train show and have some good genuine Midwest fun with fellow members!
Jim, his wife Josephine, daughters Sandra (Mason), Nancy, Betty Joe and niece Debora Linquist were all there helping out in hosting this LCCA special event. Members enjoyed a delicious barbecue chicken, pork and beef luncheon.
A sincere thank you to all of the members who attended and participated in this LCCA Special Event. A huge thank you to Jim, Josephine Gates and family for opening their home and hosting our fellow members.
Most of all, thanks go out to Charter members Jim Gates, Charles Skjevland, Owen Bryne and Gerry Dangelo for starting this great organization (along with 79 other charter members) back in 1970. Your initiative, vision, perseverance, hard work and support are the foundation for our club. We promise to do our best to keep this dream alive and to continue to help promote and foster an interest in Lionel Trains.
Jim Gates and 83 other Charter members formed the LCCA back in 1970 in DesMoines IA. To learn more about our club beginnings and to watch 8mm film footage taken during our 1st convention in 1971, click on the link below.
Early LCCA Convention
This video was made in 2010 to celebrate our club's 40th Anniversary. Watch Fellow Charter Members then in attendance, elect the first slate of club officers. See how the tradition of meeting with Lionel representatives and presenting Convention tours began with the LCCA.
To view Jim Gates, of Perry IA talk and to learn more about the early formative days of the LCCA and his first (failed) attempt to for a club dedicated to Lionel trains, go to the video link below. Later (thankfully) he succeeded in creating what is now know as the LCCA with a group or other 83 Charter members.
View Jim Gates
Click on the video links below to view two videos of Charter Member #CM1 and club founder Jim Gates. This will explain the humble beginning of our club, the Lionel Collectors Club of America - the LCCA.
Jim Gates Interview #1
Jim Gates Interview #2
Al Kolis
Immediate Past President & Special Events Manager
Lionel Collectors Club of America