<p>We need to redo younger D’s room. She has a whole lot of gymnastics medals on the wall. I know, people say to take a picture of them then throw them away. Gymnastics was so physically and mentally and emotionally challenging that I just can’t stand to pitch them. I guess I’ll put them in a box in the attic, unless anyone tells me something clever to do with them.</p>
<p>I used to run a fundraiser for my dds gym, selling used leos on ebay and I was surprised people sold medals on there. I think you just need to box them up and put them away as memorabilia like their yearbooks! When dd quit, the medals slowly exited display into closet and now into storage. It was such a big part of who she was.</p>
<p>I don’t know what to say but if you find a place for old medals, we have two huge boxes of swimming medals from the late 60’s and early 70s…in our attic.</p>
<p>missy, My mom always had a huge trophy case that she kept our stuff in. When I bought my house, the first thing she gave me were four boxes full of them! They are sitting in my attic.</p>
<p>I do know that years and years ago we were given a box of left overs from some kid and my parents (whom are coaches) re-used them for like one time events… so you could see if anyone or any organization in the area has use for old trophy’s…</p>
<p>I would gladly give the medals we have away…but EACH one is engraved with DH’s name…and the year and location of the event. It probably would cost more to get that removed than buying new medals.</p>
<p>So timely! I was just looking at our son’s room and thinking that our big summer cleanout pre-college will involve figuring out what to do with those medals! Not that he’s unaccomplished, but it seems like kids today get a medal for breathing and he’s got plenty!! I think when we start the purge I’ll suggest that the ones from rec soccer, age 6, can be disposed of!!</p>
<p>We had tons of horse show ribbons and trophies. Those that meant the most to her are still displayed. Those that did not have a date on them we gave back to the horse show organization so they could be used again. And yes, there are still some boxes in the attic packed with them.</p>
<p>If they are the type of trophy, plaque or metal with a metal name plate all they have to do is peel that off (it’s stuck on) and put on a new one. It’s very cheap. If it’s actually engraved into the thing, probably not much they can do with it.</p>
<p>Medals can be used to decorate Christmas trees.</p>
<p>^^^^
What a cute idea! My D must have about 300 ribbons and pins from dance competitions. I find them in the bread drawer, the laundry, between the DVDs, under magazines and in lunch boxes. She clearly doesn’t care much about them!</p>
<p>In my case I have some art awards received as an adult. I keep them in a basket in the bathroom of my studio. They remind me at the appropriate time how subjective art is and to stay humble and true to my own vision. lol</p>
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<p>Actually, around here it cost just as much to peel off the old plate and have a new one made as it was to buy a whole new trophy. Crazy, I know because many of us would have donated the old trophies and plaques back to the organization.</p>
<p>I hope nobody would think of disposing of such things without their children’s consent. I know people who still feel resentful about things their mothers threw out 30 years ago without consulting them, whether it was medals or toys or comic books or baseball cards!</p>
<p>The only awards my son ever won were academic, and I’m sure he wants to keep them forever. I still have the few academic medals I received in high school in a drawer, and the handful of debating trophies I won are also put away somewhere (even though some are broken). </p>
<p>All of my son’s old children’s books and toys, including his massive collections of action figures, are boxed away in my ex’s basement.</p>
<p>My brother is one of those that resents my mother for getting rid of his baseball cards. Let me just say he was asked many times to do something with them when he got married, but chose not to deal with it; my mother dealt with it her way instead!! At the age of 58 he still brings it up occasional; usually to imply he had some cards worth a lot of money; have no idea if he really did.</p>
<p>My kids on the other hand have trashed stuff I wished they kept. I have been know to go through the give away bags and pull things out, just in case they might want them later in life ;)</p>
<p>I have no ideas for the old medals. I am looking to find a place to donate old trophies. I hate to just throw them away.</p>
<p>I just purchased a great box for displaying some WWII medals. Mine is cherry, with a glass front, and a velvet covered foam insert for pinning the medals to. These were important war-hero type medals that my FIL received for his service to the Allies. If you google for display boxes I am sure you will find several sites with such things. My idea is that this box can be a display, but it can also be stored without having the medals fall off which they might if they were just pinned to a board.</p>
<p>(OT but interesting note) He was a displaced Polish soldier that was unable to return to Poland after the war because he fought for the Allies who were no longer in power in Poland. I also recently found the passenger manifest where he emigrated to the US in 1954. His nationality is listed as Poland, which is crossed out and <em>Stateless</em> is typed in its place. I’d known the story, but that really sent home the message.</p>
<p>Apropos thread, here. Recently, I went to a family celebration and met the person who used to own the company that made my old school pins and awards. I am not much of a saver, but held onto these things because they were beautifully made and had sentimental value. It was very cool to meet the guy who made them and he got a kick out of hearing I still had them after all these years!</p>
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<p>Technically, Poland was under control of the Allies (USSR) after the war, but I doubt very many Polish people at the time thought that was a good thing, since the USSR joined with Nazi Germany in 1939 to invade Poland and divide it up between them.</p>
<p>D has some built-in shelves in her room, and several years ago she set up part of one shelf as a dance-memento space. One framed photo from her favorite dance, a couple of trophies and certificates, a little gift given to her by her favorite dance assistant. Hanging from a nail at the edge of the shelf is her first pair of pointe shoes, battered and dirty, tied together by the ribbons. (Someday, maybe as a housewarming for her first place, I’ll mount the shoes in a shadowbox for her.) She tossed the rest of the trophies and ribbons, dance bags, dance jackets, and all of the shoes except the ones she still uses at college. </p>
<p>I’m not so disciplined – I still have all 15 years’ worth of pictures (which I’ll never get rid of), recital and competition programs (ditto), and 3 bins full of costumes (now that’s a problem…).</p>
<p>Yup – tons of gymnastics medals, plaques, trophies, etc, here, too. Although I’m not a huge saver, I definitely won’t toss these. As others have said, gymnastics was a HUGE part of D’s life for over 10 years. Medals are currently on a peg rack, trophies, on shelves, plaques on wall – but we’re in the process of moving, and there’s no room for it at our new place. We’ll box it up for storage, along with so much other “childhood” stuff.</p>
<p>Re:baseball cards – my brothers (twins) each had huge collections. At some point after they had moved from our childhood home, my mother tossed them all. I’m not sure if she ever asked my brothers beforehand. And yes, they did, in fact, have some valuable ones. Fortunately they can laugh about it now.</p>
<p>LasMa,
If you ever decide you want to get rid of the costumes, we donated most of my daughter’s to a homeless shelter where we volunteer. If you could see the kids putting those things on, you would get over your sentimental attachment really quickly! You would think had gotten lady Di’s collection of gowns!</p>