Medina Historical Society welcomes 300 stuffed animals for holiday exhibit
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Georgia Thomas of Medina has arranged her collection of 300 stuffed animals in a holiday exhibit at the Medina Historical Society, 406 West Ave. It will be open for visitors during Olde Tyme Christmas celebration on Saturday and again for Wine About Winter in February. Here, the dining room is set exquisitely set for a “Chris-moose” dinner. The stockings hung on the fireplace were crocheted by Thomas.
MEDINA – Christmas may come only once a year, but Georgia Thomas is a kid at heart all year long.
Thomas has a collection of more than 300 stuffed animals of all kinds, which she has spent four days arranging on display at the Medina Historical Society. On Saturday, she had help from Kathryn McKenney, a historian, historical preservation specialist and the newest member of the Historical Society board.
Thomas never intended to amass such a collection of stuffed animals when she bought the first handful as a teaching aide for her sign language students.
“It just sort of mushroomed,” she said. “I was teaching in Maryland when I bought the first ones. The children would pull an animal out of the bag and then sign what it was, what color it was, what it ate and if it was wild or tame.”
Georgia Thomas, right, is joined by Kathryn McKenney, a historian and historical preservation specialist, in setting up Thomas’ large collection of stuffed animals. McKenney has recently joined the board of the Historical Society. McKenney is holding a seal, while Thomas holds a possum puppet with its baby.
Every room, every counter, every space in the Historical Society is filled with stuffed animals. In the dining room, Thomas got out her Christmas poinsettia china, added a big red holiday candle centerpiece and set four large stuffed moose around the table. She calls is the “Chris-moose” room.
On the mantle is a collection of mink coat china Santas she bought in Canada, and hanging on the mantle is a row of crocheted stockings she made hang. They are for sale for $10 each.
Georgia Thomas, left, and Kathryn McKenney sit on the floor of the Medina Historical Society with a giant Burmese Mountain dog, the largest animal in Thomas’ collection of stuffed animals.
Her largest stuffed animal is a giant Burmese Mountain dog, which jokingly said she will name “Reinhard” in honor of the Medina Historical Society’s president Reinhard Rogowski.
Her collection includes a flamingo, chicken, seal, rare goat and one of each animal brought over on the Mayflower with the Pilgrims.
Her last purchase was an alligator from Bass Pro, who is selling the stuffed reptile as a fundraiser to save the endangered species.
“I wanted to support their cause, but that is the swan song,” Thomas said.
This alligator is the newest (and last) stuffed animal Georgia Thomas is going buy, she said. She bought it at Bass Pro because they were selling them to raise money to save the endangered species.
