An Opportunity for Doll Enthusiasts To Gather and Learn

DOLLS: What is the name of your club, and where is it based?

Sandy Brown (club member): We are the Twin Cities Doll Study Club. We meet in homes around the Twin Cities area (St. Paul and Minneapolis) in Minnesota.

DOLLS: When was the club founded, and what inspired its creation?

Brown: The club was founded nearly 40 years ago. We chartered with UFDC as the Twin Cities Antique Doll Study Club. Several years ago, we officially changed our name (we dropped the word “antique”) to reflect the changes in the doll community and to be more inclusive!

DOLLS: What is the club’s current mission or main purpose?

Brown: We provide doll education within our group and to the community, as well as make the world a better place through dolls.

DOLLS: Does the club focus on specific types or styles of dolls?

Brown: We are a very inclusive club!

DOLLS: Approximately how many members are in the club today?

The Twin Cities Doll Study Club visited the Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis to see its A Thousand Nesting Dolls exhibit. Back row: Sandy Brown, Iris Schroeder, Rose Jost, Sondra Wenz, and Karen Wubbels. Front row: Terri Strickland, Leah Barnacle, Christine Faust, and Ginny Fitzgerald.

Brown: We have 15 members, which includes associate members and two members who join us mostly through Zoom.

DOLLS: What events does the club host or attend together?

Brown: We put on a free doll giveaway for World Doll Day (the second Saturday in June) at the Oakdale Library in Washington County, Minnesota. In 2024, we gave away 75 dolls and stuffed animals. We also present two educational programs about dolls to the public at the Oakdale Library each year. We go to our local doll shows together, too.

DOLLS: Does the club hold regular meetings?

Brown: We hold monthly meetings on the third Sunday of each month. Usually, we meet in members’ homes. Sometimes, we go to museums and then we conduct the meetings in a more public space.

First, we conduct our business meeting, which may include plans for a fundraiser, a vote on how we will donate money to UFDC, or how our club will be active in the community, in addition to planning our future programming and participation in upcoming doll events. This is followed by a doll presentation, usually by a club member but sometimes by a guest speaker.

Next, we have a sharing time, where each member gets a turn to share their latest acquisitions or dolls that fit the theme. Last, we enjoy a dessert and lots of catching up with each other. Most of our meetings are accessible through Zoom.

On March 2, 2024, many members of the Twin Cities Doll Study Club and other doll clubs traveled to Fargo, North Dakota, to see the Japanese Friendship Doll Miss Okayama and to hear Alan Scott Pate speak about the significance and history of this doll.
Miss Okayama is a Japanese
riendship Doll.

DOLLS: What is the process for becoming a member?

Brown: Once one of our members meets a doll enthusiast, they may invite them to a doll club meeting. After two doll club meetings, if they are still interested, our club will vote on their membership. It should be noted that our club is pet-friendly, so it is important that new members don’t have allergies to dogs or cats. Otherwise, they will be uncomfortable in our homes. It is all about finding the right fit for each doll enthusiast.

DOLLS: How can others learn more about your club?

Brown: I am a contact person for the Twin Cities Doll Study Club. I can be reached at sandapi@aol.com or 651-402-6856.

Dolls are organized before the doll giveaway.
The club gives away dolls at the Oakdale Library. From left: Jana Williams, Fae Larson from the Fashion Doll Friends Club, and Sandy Brown.
Sandy Brown gives a presentation on international
dolls and preserving their individual histories.
Club members Ginny Fitzgerald, Iris Schroeder, Karen Wubbels, Sandy Brown, Christine Faust, and Sue Figueroa spent an afternoon packing meals.