While attending the NBDCC in 1999, one of the founding members of Pink Ponytail Friends of Central Florida, Jewel Tieben, a new to Florida resident, sought out other collectors from Florida. Name tags were such a help! Members were added from NBDCC, waiting areas for  homeward-bound planes, airport shuttles, and Mattel release parties at FAO Schwarz Orlando.

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Club members open their homes and doll rooms once a month to share their love of Barbie@, and of course have lunch! Outings have been varied and included doll shows, miniature shops, IFDC shows, IDEX shows (remember them?), flea markets and movies. This has stayed the same over the years as we look forward to any and every opportunity to get together and share the love of our favorite doll.

 

Pink Ponytail Friends of Central Florida was asked by the Daytona Museum of Arts and Sciences to help curate and display a vast collection of Barbie@ merchandise for an exhibit, and we were delighted to do so. The club has also participated for many years in toy drives for Toys for Tots and in the Winter Springs Florida Annual Toy Drive.

 

As the club grew, and with most of the members attending the NBDCC every year, in 2011 we decided to apply for membership in the Steering Committee. This process was shepherded by Ruth Cronk over a three-year period.

 

Since becoming a Steering Committee-recognized club, Pink Ponytail Friends of Central Florida have happily participated in all levels of Convention: Chairing 2021 Virtual Convention, Live Auction donations, Auctioneering, Sponsorships, Event Chairs, Centerpiece donations, Finance, Executive Board Members, Prize Room donations, Storage Facilities, Volunteering in all aspects at Convention, being the supporting club

for 2025 NBDCC, and hosting weekend parties to do behind the scenes Convention prep work!

 

Pink Ponytail Friends of Central Florida has over thirty members. While most of us are in Florida, there are a few in other states. We have some members that have moved out of state, yet they are still dear and treasured members of our club. They stop in for a meeting or two each year, with members opening their homes for accommodations.

 

Our friendships through Barbie@ have grown stronger and deeper. We have shared marriages, deaths, great joys and sorrows, all made better because of our Barbie@ Club and the camaraderie we all share. Pink Ponytail Friends of Central Florida has been in existence for twenty-five years and we look forward to many more years of friendship and fun!

 

Our members proudly welcome you to the 2025 National Barbie@ Doll Collectors Convention!