News

WOW!!!  Time magically flies by and the IBM RING 22 is once again wrapping up another spectacular year for 2023!  I’d like to send my sincerest THANK YOU to EVERYONE involved in our ongoing and highly successful “magic project” - The DETROIT MAGIC CLUB!  Through your collective efforts - members, guests, out-of-town friends from other states (including other countries!), and fellow officers (VP FRED LENTER, Treasurer ROBERT PURCELL, Advisors KEITH FIELDS, ANDY MAKAR) - our club made record-breaking annual history!  On a personal note, I will forever appreciate your continued support, encouragement, and friendship – it is what I cherish MOST whenever I reflect on the magical wonders within our club!  THANK YOU ONE AND ALL!  

It is impossible to summarize our organization’s year-long achievements in a single message - there are simply too many GREAT THINGS that all of YOU bring to our club at each and every event.  Yet, with every Yuletide season, I think it’s  important to share at least SOME of RING 22’s notable moments during this past year - I may be biased here but I’m enormously proud and grateful for YOUR commitment, energy, and enthusiasm, making our club the most unique (if not THE BEST) magic club ever!

Our recent Holiday Club Meeting (12/14/2023) was a sensational success, with 70 members and guests attending a truly magical evening filled with great magic, fun, and fellowship.  Special thanks goes to club member and caterer RICK RAIMONDO (AllAboutCateringllc.Com) for preparing another amazing feast, and our esteemed guests, master magician MING LOUIE and his charming wife BARBARA, provided an outstanding surprise magic performance!  Our IBM TERRITORIAL VP, JEFF BRODRICK and company, traveled all the way from Grand Rapids to join us and celebrate the holiday cheer (!),  and we all enjoyed “LIVE” music (played by our guest/professional harpist, PAT TAIT)!  Perhaps most significant was the enormous generosity of our members, “paying it forward” and gifting valuable magic items to just about everyone, literally guaranteeing another unforgettable holiday bash!  As always, four lucky winners received gift certificates (courtesy of RING 22!) to our favorite store, the WUNDERGROUND MAGIC SHOP! 

But our magical fun in 2023 didn’t begin or end there… 

We received countless positive responses to the informative workshop segments and strong performances presented by members and guests at every meeting (now regularly averaging 40-50 people!), and a “hats-off” must be given to our spotlighted performers who opened every meeting with an extended “mini-show”.  Following every event our club magic continued with well-attended AFTERGLOW sessions - now a much anticipated and welcomed tradition!  In addition to our IN-HOUSE lectures (thanks to our Canadian members, CHRIS PHILPOTT and ERIC BEDARD), we also hosted three wonderful GUEST lectures, presented by CHRIS CARTER, FENIK, and GEORGE TAIT.   Let’s not forget our very successful and completely free MAGIC FLEA MARKET & SWAP MEET last August and our TAILGATE MAGIC PARTY & BBQ at the home of KEITH and SARAH FIELDS (who generously allowed 50 or so magicians to invade their magical residence last September!).  Also deserving of mention are those terrific event summaries which are regularly submitted by one of our club members from Ohio, NORM CATTELL, and published each month in the IBM LINKING RING magazine!  No doubt about it, there’s always plenty of impressive activity buzzing within this club, and true to our philosophy, these events are fully funded by RING 22 whenever possible!

And our magical fun in 2023 wasn’t limited to events… 

I’m sure we are all proud of the many magical accomplishments of our wide-ranging membership.  At our May 16th Meeting we were ALL honored and recognized with an in-person presentation from a leader of magic, the IBM PRESIDENT BILLY HSEUH (!), and this year, two of our youngest magicians, FERRAN POAGE and DREYGON HIBBLER,  won 1st and 2nd place in the 2023 IBM Convention Close-Up Competition (HOLY COW!).   Looking at the “big picture”, RING 22 plays only one small part of our incredible magic community at large, and we’re glad to support and acknowledge our nearby neighbors, the Ann Arbor Magic Club RING 210, Toledo’s RING 68, and the ABC SAM Club.   Working together, we will all inevitably strengthen and foster much more extraordinary magic in 2024!

Our magical fun in 2023 will continue…

Speaking of next year (with 2024 just days away!), we’re “rolling out the carpet” for another whirlwind year, and RING 22 has already made preparations for a COIN LECTURE featuring the masterful coin manipulation of RICK HOLCOMBE (!), as well as a lecture by one of Michigan’s most celebrated magicians, NATE KRANZO!  There’ll be much more to come - we hope you all will stay tuned and continue to read my rather long email announcements for updates!   Forging ahead, please keep us in mind with your monthly plans next year – we are only as strong as our membership, and YOU are the SECRET MAGICAL ELIXIR that propels us forward!  If you haven’t signed up already, please visit DetroitMagic.Club and join our ranks SOON!  Remember, we’re more than a monthly club meeting, we’re a MONTHLY CONVENTION!

We’re looking forward to seeing all of you at our next meeting on TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 2024 at 7:15 PM EST (Spirit of Christ/Trinity Lutheran Church, 749 W. 14 Mile Rd., Clawson, MI) - featuring the amazing magic of JOSH WILDE and a few other surprises to kick off the new year!  Best wishes to everyone this holiday season and in 2024!

Do you recognize this magical family?  If not, read on and learn the full story…

The IBM RING 22 Magic Club has garnered high praise from fellow magicians and other magic clubs around the country, and although there are many factors that have helped to make our club as solid as it is today, the real secret behind the success of IBM RING 22 (“The DETROIT MAGIC CLUB”) is our highly talented and experienced membership – ranging from full-time internationally known professionals, well-known part-timers, avid hobbyists, and “kids” ages 9-90 (!) who are just getting started exploring the art of magic.

One of our most unique club members is KEN FOLEY, a masterful magician who for years has entertained audiences everywhere.  A longtime professional automotive engineer, he has somehow managed to lead a very successful “double life” as a professional magician, and for decades he continues to entertain audiences large and small, young and old, with his unique brand of extraordinary and entertaining magic just about everywhere. 

KEN grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and without local magic shops nearby, he was often forced to pursue magic on his own, creating, developing, and constructing unique magic props and effects that he still uses to this very day. 

Fortunately for RING 22, the FOLEY family now resides in nearby Sterling Heights, MI.  He and his wife, Janice, are the proud parents of Bradley and Ryan, both of whom, as children, became prominent performers in a wonderful family magic troupe, FOLEY THE FABULOUS!    As one might expect, KEN and the FOLEY TROUPE  have garnered high praise and awards in various competitions over the years, with KEN winning 2^nd place at Abbott’s Get Together, 2002, 1^st place in Michigan Magic Day 2007, and 2^nd place in Michigan Magic Day 2009.  Along the way, both Bradley and Ryan have also won several prestigious magic awards (Brad notably winning 1^st place in the Michigan Magic Day, 2002, and Ryan winning 1^st place in the Michigan Magic Day 2009 – apparently beating his father!). 

KEN is also part of a very elite group of magicians who have enjoyed membership in the INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF MAGICIANS for more than 35 consecutive years (!), and he was recently honored for his milestone achievement by IBM this past year.  He and his magical family have been featured in several local newspapers, and he is still going strong as a “magician’s magician”, performing professional magic in venues throughout the greater-Southeast Michigan area.  You can contact him at ffmagic@comcast.net, and you can view him in action with the short video clip below.  THANKS KEN for being an integral member of IBM RING 22!

Back by popular demand, our original PILOT EPISODE of RING 22's local magic TV series, "YOU ARE THERE", has once again been requested for air time.  Although local media stations remain vehemently underwhelmed and uninterested in it's artistic value, fortunately for us, a few of our very sage club members have dared us to show it again - especially for those who have never seen the pilot episode in the first place!  We've updated our crediting and sponsorship a little, and in spite of the original painful viewing experience, we're back at it with a serious REDUX!

Our club enjoys a vast membership of extremely talented magicians, and just recently, two of our exceptional and youngest members (FERRAN POAGE and DREYGON HIBBLER) celebrated an incredible achievement - winning 1st and 2nd place in the prestigious International Brotherhood of Magicians  CLOSE-UP COMPETITION for 2023 - a major event that is always a highlight of the annual IBM Convention! 

DREYGON HIBBLER (2nd Place Winner), KEITH FIELDS (mentor and supporter), and FERRAN POAGE (1st Place Winner)

This year's enormously successful convention took place in Pittsburg, PA,  and our talented club members competed with other magicians literally from around the world, bringing their A-Game to the table with stellar performances!  As many of us have witnessed over the last couple of years, FERRAN and DREYGON have worked hard continuously, perfecting their performances, skills, and presentations, receiving elpful advice and encouragement, not only from everyone at RING 22, but especially with the valuable mentorship of our club's renowned duo, KEITH and SARAH FIELDS (true believers in the art of magic who spotted the potential of both of these young magicians immediately). 

All of us are very proud of these well-deserved winners  - hat's off to FERRAN and DREYGON for their tremendous accomplishment!  At our July club meeting FERRAN and DREYGON rather humbly shared their experience with everyone, and RING 22 considers them to be true AMBASSADORS OF MAGIC.  What will they accomplish next???!

Everyone should be as lucky as I have been these past years, and I’m sure all of our club members feel the same way when it comes to any discussion regarding our wonderful friend, NICK PUDAR.    Although not unexpected, his recent passing is undoubtedly difficult for all of us to handle, as anyone who knew NICK for any period of time knew what a true GEM he was, not only for the magic community, but for anyone fortunate enough to have "experienced" him in some way or other. 

NICK was a true RENAISSANCE MAN blessed with many extraordinary talents, and he will always be one of the most versatile and amazing individuals we’ve ever known.   Not only did he support our magic efforts in RING 22, he managed to leave his mark all over the world.  We’ll always remember his commanding smile, his excited eagerness to share with us (magic or otherwise), and his humble willingness to help everyone around him.  No one will ever forget his STUNNING and INEXPLAINABLE MAGIC – made even stronger because we all inevitably felt it radiating from his heart.  NICK was and will always be loved by everyone, and it is only with great fondness that we will remember his wit, his wisdom, and the inspiration he brought to each of us. 

Bravely, he and his family accepted the cards life dealt to him while always exuding a positive energy – an energy that will surely be missed, an energy our world could use a lot more of today.  Reflecting on his sad passing, let’s never forget how lucky we all are because of him.  March on, my friend!   GOD BLESS NICK PUDAR!

RING 22 has many talented and dedicated club members - one of whom is our own MARV LONG!  An outstanding magician and creator of magic for many years, Marv was a longtime resident in the greater-Detroit area before migrating to Florida.  Now, even from afar, he manages to stay very connected to RING 22, and we're glad he's on board!  Recently (around our last winter holiday season), Marv officially published his latest magic effort, an Ebook entitled "RIFFLE DEEPER" - a completely different handling of a classic card move (often overlooked) as well as a dozen strong card effects that have been "field and battle" tested.  This isn't "move monkey" stuff, but rather, the kind of magic everyone will want to use in their repertory.  Best of all, several club members were involved in Marv's exciting project  (Norm Cattell, Paul North, John Luka, Tom Mosier, and yours truly).  the book is available for purchase from Penguin Magic (https://www.penguinmagic.com/p/16808).  For those unfamiliar with the book, be sure to check it out soon!

If you happen to live anywhere near the neighborhood of TROY, MICHIGAN, you're probably already familiar with the wonderful MAGIC SOIREE dinner/magic events created by our very own club members and world-class magicians, KEITH FIELDS and his wife, LADY SARAH.  The SOIREEs have been an enormous success, experiencing sell-out crowds and showcasing the talents of many local and nationally celebrated magicians.  The TROY CHAMBER of COMMERCE is currently holding an anonymous online vote for significant entrepreneurs within the Troy community ("BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS"), and both LADY SARAH as well as THE MAGIC SOIREE are up for special recognition awards!  Let's make sure these wonderful artists receive their "due" -- if you can, simply click the link below and cast your vote (pay particular attention to the ballot categories #5 and #12!).  We're sure KEITH and SARAH will appreciate your vote of confidence and support -- when it comes to promoting the art of magic, no one can deny their important contributions.   The ONLINE voting process is available through February 5, 2021, and it only takes a few seconds  -- VOTE NOW!

https://www.troychamber.com/events/business-excellence-awards/

Your friends at RING 22 would like to extend our warmest wishes to all of you as we are now nearing the end of a rather unforgettable year.  The current world crisis created many hardships for everyone, but fortunately for us, it did not extinguish our love for the art of magic!  Thanks to YOU for your continued support for our magic fraternity (now representing the greater-Michigan area and beyond!),  our recent “holiday” meeting (on Tuesday, December 15, 2020) ended with a BANG of SUPER NOVA proportions, and once again was very well attended!  With about 40 members and guests sharing magic, fun, and the usual mayhem, we shattered our own “glass ceiling”, featuring the extraordinary magic of our spotlighted magician and guest, the very talented Matt Stanley, a sensational hands-on mystery workshop with veteran magician John Luka, a magical historama with the very knowledgeable Dave Wirth, a special award ceremony for magician/entrepreneur, Josh Wilde and The Wunderground Magic Shop (presented by none other than IBM President Stephen Bargatze), a surprise “cabaret” performance with Michigan’s dynamic duo, Keith Fields and Lady Sarah, a world premiere video starring VP Fred Lenter, and of course, the highly entertaining magic performed by our members and guests.  That’s quite a line up, and just in case you missed it, members can now view a video version of the entire meeting in the “Members Only” section of our club website.  Heartfelt thanks goes to all of YOU for making modern miracles possible!

On a personal note, I cannot help but reflect (especially during this special time of year) on some incredible moments – moments not related to the COVID pandemic, but to the wonderful and numerous friendships I have enjoyed – a privileged “byproduct” of membership in our SUPER club.  Not only have I enjoyed and learned from YOUR terrific magic, I’m also extremely lucky to experience extraordinary friendships that I will always cherish.  For that I can only humbly share my sincerest “thank you” to everyone!  No doubt, many of you share and have experienced those same strong friendships, and that is ultimately magic’s most important goal!

Don’t forget, our club “magic” is just getting started – PLEASE make sure to attend our first event of 2021, our online club meeting on TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2021 (CLICK HERE to REGISTER)!  Take the “plunge” and see first-hand why I feel RING 22 is the best magic club in the country, and I’m confident anyone who has seen us in action will whole-heartedly agree!  Thanks again for making us truly THE Detroit Magic Club! 

Happy holidays and see you all next year (it’s not that far away)!