A recent trip to my parents’ house in New York uncovered a treasure trove of old documents and artwork that they had saved for me over the years.
The highlight was my STM Club certificate, which announced my membership in a kids TV show fan club. According to the document, I was entitled me to full membership privileges! And just what were those amazing benefits? Apparently I was allowed to watch a show at 4 o’clock every afternoon and I got a lamenated card with my name on it.
Syracuse Kids Programming
I didn’t watch the show on its original station, Channel 3 out of Syracuse. Instead, I watched it on WETM Channel 18 out of Elmira, N.Y.
I vividly remember the show: It was set on a river showboat and while I watched it featured ventriloquist Denny Bowman and his red-headed wooden friend Chester Drawers.
Later on (or at least later on as I watched it), more characters got added, but they too got whittled down over time. At its low point, it no longer even featured Bowman or Chester.
Featuring Scooby Doo
Primarily — as you can tell from the certificate — the hour-long show featured old Scooby Doo episodes. Later on it featured Scooby Doo movies. I think at one point it also featured an action cartoon, but I don’t know for sure.
I hold this show entirely responsible for my love of Scooby Doo to this day. Sure, before I could watch him once a week and that was good, but with the STM Club, I got him every day.
To this day, I’ll still happily sit down and watch an old episode — or a new one — and thorougly enjoy it.
In particular, I’ve been thoroughly amused by the latest incarnation Shaggy and Scooby Doo Get A Clue as they battle the same evil genius again and again.
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OMG!!! I’m so happy to find this as I still have my membership card wrapped in saran-wrap to keep it new. I joined the club because I had always been a Scooby-Doo fan and the show mixed with story clips from the show made it more interesting. Despite living in Rochester, NY, my TV antenna (no cable) was able to pick up Syracuse Channel 3 just well enough to see the show. It was a favorite after school activity to watch every day. Being a “member” somehow made it more special. I wonder what kids today have that makes them feel like they belong to something. “Syracuse comes together in the moments that we share — Share on Channel 3 Let’s All Be There”.