Celebrating Daisy’s 125th Anniversary

When one is celebrating 125 years, it can take all weekend and, for the 440 Daisy Family and fans who were part of Daisy’s 125th Anniversary celebration, it did.

It started Friday afternoon with tours of the Daisy Museum, special sale pricing and tours of Daisy’s assembly facility. In the parking lot, the company set up its mobile shooting range – a steel trailer outfitted with CO2-powered match competition ten-meter pellet rifles. For younger marksmen, the company offered one of its inflatable BB gun ranges, outfitted with targets, BBs, shooting glasses and a variety of BB guns including the Model 25 Pump Gun, the Mossy Oak Grizzly, the world famous Daisy Red Ryder and even a Pink Carbine.

Visitors could shoot for fun or have their target scored. As the day came to a close, registered guests were treated to a barbeque picnic and fellowship with Daisy staff and retirees and fellow Daisy collectors from all over the country.

Saturday, collectors were lined up at the door at 8:00 for a swap meet that opened to the public at 10:00 a.m. at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center. There were 82 tables set for 55 collectors and within minutes they were covered with an amazing assortment of old Daisy airguns, parts, advertising material, beautiful antique point of sale displays and even a .308 and a 50 caliber rifle which Daisy once made for U.S. Navy Seals. While all of the collectors reported excellent sales, some of the busiest tables were staffed by volunteer Daisy and Daisy Museum employees offering an assortment of limited edition collectible merchandise; all emblazoned with the company’s 125th anniversary logo. There were medallions, aluminum water bottles and stainless steel travel coffee mugs, pen sets and a beautiful red die cast model Daisy truck.

By far, the table which had the most interaction would have to be the one at which the company offered its new book on the history of Daisy entitled, “Daisy. It All Starts Here.” Written by Daisy’s Vice President of Marketing, Joe Murfin, the book is a beautiful addition to collectors’ libraries, filled with rarely-seen old photos and stories that provide insight into the company’s corporate culture. Chapters with titles such as “Historical Significance”, “Ralphie Got it Wrong”, “What’s in the Box” and “Once Every 120 Years” lure readers into insightful stories of the company’s rich heritage. Murfin was on hand to sign books for the collectors who each wanted their books personalized, as a record that they had attended the anniversary event. Following the celebration, the book became available exclusively on the Museum’s website, www.daisymuseum.com.

Just as the swap meet came to a close, the silent auction was set up. With one of a kind items such as a Daisy flag, a Les Kouba Daisy print, old Daisy ads and hang tags and a four-foot tall giant BB tube, there was something for everyone. The banquet opened when the Alma, Arkansas, Navy JROTC team presented colors and the honorable Mark Darr, Arkansas Lieutenant Governor, delivered a beautiful rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner.”

Welcoming the group as emcee, Joe Murfin observed that “Daisy is among friends tonight as we celebrate 125 years…Friends of the Daisy Museum, friends from our industry, friends in the community, representatives from our community college, banks and local businesses, our employees and retirees and friends representing our City, State and Federal government.”

425 people attending the banquet were welcomed by Allyson Dyer of Rogers’ Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Raymond Burns of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, Rogers Mayor Greg Hines, State Representative Debra Hobbs, State Senator Cecile Bledsoe, U.S. Congressman Steve Womack and U.S. Senator John Boozman.

Representative Hobbs and Senator Bledsoe read a joint proclamation prepared by the Arkansas Senate and House of Representatives for the occasion. Each of these leaders, in their own words, recognized the significant contributions both Daisy Outdoor Products and the Daisy Family of employees and retirees have made to the region. Ray Hobbs, Daisy’s President, C.E.O. and Chairman of the Board told the audience, “Daisy is among a very elite group of companies which have operated continuously and successfully for over 125 years.”

For collectors attending the banquet, a highlight of the evening was when the company unveiled a serially numbered, limited edition Model 25 BB gun. With a medallion inset into a beautiful walnut stock, the blued gun features a gold retro design stamped into the receiver area. Perhaps the collectors most appreciate the fact that the gun will come in a matching hardwood display box, featuring the Daisy 125th Anniversary logo. It is, of course, more than coincidence that, in 1986 a special blued Model 25 with a medallion inset into a walnut stock was created in celebration of Daisy’s Centennial. With only 1,000 of these special guns made this summer (numbered 0001 of 1000 to 1000 of 1000), they will be first offered to a group called “Friends of the Daisy Museum” who are the primary supporters of the not-for-profit corporation, the Rogers Daisy Airgun Museum (the Daisy Museum) located at 202 West Walnut in Historic Downtown Rogers. Over 750 “Friends” will, by letter, be extended first right of refusal on the gun which matches their membership number. And, they will be offered the opportunity to request additional guns on a first come first served basis. Once those orders and requests have been satisfied, any remaining inventory of these guns will be sold via the Daisy Museum’s website (www.daisymuseum.com). “It’s the Daisy collectors who support the non-profit museum,” stated Joe Murfin who also serves on the museum’s board of directors. “It’s only fitting that they have first opportunity to purchase these beautiful limited edition guns.”

Daisy employees were filled with pride Saturday evening as distinguished guests from the City’s Mayor to a U.S. Congressman and U.S. Senator extolled the virtues of their great old company. And everyone in the audience had their faith in the future of our nation bolstered as the Alma, Arkansas, Navy Junior Reserves Officer Training Corps drill team, under the direction of Senior Chief Dan Arnold and Lieutenant Commander John Rickard performed a custom-choreographed series of armed drills, utilizing the entire length of the 48-foot stage. The sound of the 8.5 lb. Daisy drill rifles being rhythmically pounded on the suspended stage was ominous. The choreography of the armed team was creative and was, necessarily, carefully synchronized to allow the team leader to pace in and out of groups of two to four cadets passing, throwing and spinning the rifles with precision accuracy. The standing ovation the drill team received was well-deserved and, at the close of the evening’s program, Ray Hobbs brought the team to their feet to, once again, receive the crowd’s admiration and appreciation.

In 2010 Daisy established a Daisy Hall of Fame in order to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to youth shooting sports and the company’s success. Saturday evening, only the second person to receive this award was honored. Ray Hobbs told the audience, “We can point out several key contributions this gentleman has made to Daisy, any one of which would qualify him to receive this recognition.” He went on to describe the accomplishments of the hall of fame inductee, Richard I. Daniel. “Dick took over the reins as president of Daisy from Cass Hough on January 1, 1972 and remained president until 1983.” In presenting Dick Daniel as the Daisy Hall of Fame inductee, Hobbs referred to him as, “A talented engineer. An astute businessman. A longtime community leader. A good friend to Daisy and to the Daisy Museum.” Those in the audience knew Daniel well, either from his stellar career at Daisy or as a board member of Arvest Bank and the University of the Ozarks, as past president of the Rogers – Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Rogers, as a church Elder and teacher or through his involvement with numerous organizations.

All of the 125th anniversary merchandise, including the new book “It All Starts Here.” are now exclusively available at the Daisy Museum and via its website (www.daisymuseum.com)

So, on the occasion of their 125th anniversary, Daisy has published a colorful hardback book, created a series of 125th Anniversary merchandise, added yet another die cast Daisy truck to the collection, released an issue of only 1,000 collectible Daisy Model 25 Pump Guns, hosted a swap meet for collectors and a banquet for 440 friends and received the accolades of City, State and Federal leaders.