Richmond Times-Dispatch: Place an Ad | Subscribe | Manage Account | Advertise With Us

Barbie collectors clubs and Web sites

Related Info

MORE:
Barbie turns 50

• Barbie doll turns the big 5-0

• Trivia

• Reader memories, Pt. 1

• Reader memories, Pt. 2

• Barbie Clubs and activities

• MULTIMEDIA: Barbie video, quiz, timeline

By Staff Reports
Published: March 8, 2009
Updated: March 8, 2009

» 0 Comments | Post a Comment

Barbie fans hook up through clubs, collectors' societies, online sites, newsletters and annual conventions to swap, sell, buy and reminisce.

Virginia Fashion Doll Collectors meets in Richmond every other month. The club's focus is on vintage and newer collectible Barbies and a "Dolls for Charity" project. Members collect donated dolls and clothing, then clean them, restyle their hair and dress them in new outfits crafted at doll workshops.

The club has sent more than 800 dolls to children in El Salvador and Mexico, hurricane victims along the Gulf Coast and locally to St. Joseph's Villa. To join the club, write Debbie Breeden, the club president, at .

Mattel's Official Barbie Fan Club. Membership costs $24.95 annually. Sign up online at http://www.barbiecollector.com.

Barbie's official Mattel site at http://barbie.everythinggirl.com/ is geared to little girls rather than collectors.

Rescued Barbie Project. Nita Van Damme of Chester loved Barbie as a child and is on a one-woman crusade to refurbish old Barbies she finds in yard sales and thrift shops. She makes new outfits for the dolls and gives them away - about a dozen so far, with 30 more awaiting makeovers. (Before you race for the attic, Van Damme added that she works full time and doesn't want her hobby to turn into work.)

Facebook. Mattel established an official Barbie Facebook page last month. Already, Barbie has more than 68,000 friends. Visit http://www.facebook.com/barbie for details.

The 2009 National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention will be held in Washington, July 7-11. For information, visit http://www.barbieconvention.com.

- Julie Young