Ever attended an Elderhostel program? What about one on Carder Steuben?
Well, what follows from Jenny Monroe may be the ticket to expand your
Elderhostel experience, or begin it.

Alan – I find the same delightful response when I introduce people to
Frederick Carder who never knew of him. After reading your story, I
thought I’d ask you to send out a description of an upcoming program in
April of 2008 where Carder Steuben Club members could come to Corning
to learn about Carder, Steuben, and the history of glass made in the
Crystal City. It’s called “Glass Collectors’ Compendium” and offered
as one of over two dozen Corning Elderhostel programs, available to
anyone over the age of 55. The program is #13958 and is currently on
sale for April 20 to 23, 2008. I’ve attached a link for more
information. Tom Dimitroff leads it with help from Bill Mehlenbacher,
Dick Bright and many members of the staff of the Corning Museum of
Glass. In addition to historic aspects, we have an ID clinic and
discuss topics of value to collectors such as on-line buying and
selling, packing, shipping and photography. Elderhostel programs are
all inclusive with room, board, lectures, all admissions and
transportation. This four-day/ three-night program costs $490 per
person, based on double occupancy.
The 2008 program will be our fifth offering of the program. I have
served as Elderhostel Coordinator at Watson Homestead (eight miles west
of Corning) for five years, after serving as Supervisor of Public
Programs at the Rockwell Museum for 23 years, coordinating all the
Carder Symposia through 1999 and assisting with Carder Dinners since
their reintroduction in 1979. So Carder is a real love of mine and all
my nearly 800 Elder hostellers this past year visited the Corning Museum
of Glass and most received my guided tour of the Carder Gallery. Other
programs offered with Elderhostel include five weeks of hands-on
glassmaking at the Studio of CMoG, and other Finger Lakes wine, museums
and scholarly programs. The complete list of 2007 programs offered can
be found on the Watson Homestead website (www.watsonhomestead.com) and
those currently on sale may be found on www.elderhostel.org with a
search for “Corning”.
www.elderhostel.org/programs/programdetail.asp?RowId=1%2D2B7K5K&DateId=
I invite any Carder lovers to come to this program or contact me with
questions. Thanks! Jenny Monroe
Home: jmonroe@stny.rr.com 607-524-8439
Work: watsonjenny@stny,rr,com 607-962-0541

The subject of an Elder Hostel on Steuben glass drew a number of comments.

Fran Gabel of Morristown, NJ says:
I attended same last Spring. It was fabulous. Jenny Monroe is an outstanding coordinator. Tom’s lectures were very informative and outstanding. Every day had something exciting to offer.

Louise Bush of Painted Post, NY weighs in with:
Ed and I can’t recommend the Elderhostel programs with Jenny Monroe highly enough. She is a
wonderful guide and very knowledgeable about Carder and all things about Corning and the area. Her programs sell out regularly. Registrants stay at a conference center about 3 miles away in a beautiful country setting, and you are transported to town by van. So if our members are looking for an excuse to come to Corning in the spring, this could be it.

Gerry Eggert of Rochester, NY comments that:
I started Elder Hostel with Marty Knowlton @ the University of New Hampshire in 1974. I was the first Chair of the Board! We need something like the program Ms Munroe puts on in other parts of the country. Imagine an Elder Hostel program around the country where other museums have glass collections.
Maybe Jenny or someone would like to promote this.