In the early fall of 1976 Jean Gibbs-Simpson ran an ad in the Kansas City Star asking Coca-Cola collectors in the area to contact her. As a result, there was a meeting held in Kansas City between Jean Gibbs (Lawrence, KS), Wayne Glover and Bob Morris (Kansas City, MO), Mark Magel (Independence, MO), and Jerry Mathis (Salina, KS).

The main issue addressed was the possibility of looking for other collectors in the 4-state region to form a chapter in the very new “Cola Clan's” national organization they had all recently joined. More ads were run in various newspapers as well as the national Cola Call newsletter. Responses were better than imagined and on 10-9-76 over 30 people representing 16 collections met in Lawrence, Kansas. They came from all over and shared an evening of eating, selling, prize-giving, a short auction, getting acquainted and dreaming about forming a local chapter of the newly formed national Cola Clan Club.

Their main objective was meet and associate with fellow Coca-Cola collectors and to promote and preserve the advertising of “The Coca-Cola Company”.

A second meeting was scheduled in January 1977, elections were held and thus, The Mid-America Chapter of the “Cola Clan” was born.

Since that humble beginning, the club has changed its name to The Mid-America Chapter of The Coca-Cola Collectors Club (TCCCC), has a yearly convention and has a membership of over 100 individuals and families.

The club is comprised of a board of directors with a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, newsletter editor and a historian. All positions are voluntary. The club also has bylaws that the board and members are govern by.

A special “thanks” goes to the all the original members. Who would of thought one small ad in the KC Star could lead to nearly 30 wonderful years of collecting Coca-Cola memorabilia and great friends.