Continuing List of Orchid SHOWS

Be sure to contact  Steve Eagle, Chair of the Affiliated Societies Committee (580-490-3363; sge@cableone.net or
stevegeagle@yahoo.com  )  before scheduling your society’s orchid show.

He is keeping an updated list of all shows in the SWROGA region.  Checking with Steve first will prevent your show from conflicting with another one in your area.   More than one show in an area can limit the number of judges and growers that attend.

CONTINUING OPERATING John Kramer, Chair (918-749-7686, jckramer@pol.net), Burrel Gambel, Carolyn McCabe, Wilton Guillory.

“We print all the news                    

Orchids and all that Jazz

We’re hosting the 83^rd SWROGA Meeting and Show on October 3 thru 5, 2003.  We’re really excited. All of the Meeting and Show Events will be held in the Best Western of Alexandria Inn & Suites Convention Center. They have offered GREAT Rates, so you can stay the weekend.  First, the suites are really suites, a sitting room and a bed room with two queen beds, in between is a bath and a full size refrigerator with a complementary drink , microwave with complimentary popcorn.  Each room has its own TV and some even have fireplaces (it may be cool enough in October to enjoy a fire.)  The indoor pool is nearby, in the atrium, if you care to take a dip.  The rooms have either a king bed or two doubles, again there is a complimentary drink. Most of the suites or rooms will be on the first floor near the convention center.  Now, for the best part—suites are $69 a night and rooms are $55 for up to four people. RV hookups are available at $15 per night. Of course the rates are plus tax. Calling the Best Western of Alexandria direct on a toll-fee line`1-800-528-1234 will make reservations.  Be sure to tell them you are making a reservation with Central Louisiana Orchid Society (CLOS) and you will get a GREAT RATE.

Now, that we have your attention on lodging, we need to tell you about the other plans.  HOSPITALITY!  We did that in capitals to get your attention, because we are planning one of the BEST SWROGA MEETINGS & SHOWS ever.  On Saturday afternoon we have two great lectures planned for you.  Tom Harper of Stone River Orchids and Andy Easton Director of Education, American Orchid Society will be featured.  Of course there will be the usual Committee Meetings and other necessary SWROGA business on Saturday morning but on Saturday Night a JAZZ FEST.  The room will be enlarged to include the show so that you may wander around and admire the orchids while visiting with friends, munching on delicious finger food, not a sit-down dinner or stuffy banquet but plenty of food so you don’t have to eat before coming.  There will be music and a dance floor for your enjoyment.  Before that is the SWROGA Auction, so be prepared to bid on that item you feel you cannot live without.  The Affiliated Societies Committee is looking for items for the auction, so look round and bring something that you no longer feel you need.  Remember, SWROGA is a non-profit organization, therefore the value of the items you donate are tax-deductible.

At the time of this meeting , our local museum will be featuring a “once in a lifetime event’  The museum will have the “Heart of Spain” exhibit.  This is an exhibit of religious artifacts that have never been out of Spain.  The entire city has been preparing for this exhibit for months.  You may want to plan a visit to our museum, while here.

Our airport now offers jet service from Houston or Dallas as well as Atlanta.  Continental and Delta both offer this service and if you are flying, the hotel will have transportation available for you, just let them know.

We hope you will come and enjoy this meeting and show with us.  If you would like to exhibit and cannot stay until takedown on Sunday, a cut-flower exhibit would be very nice.  We’ll be pleased to take it down for you and return reasonable props for you.

Please come and enjoy this 83^rd SWROGA Meeting & Show.  

WRIGHT THINKING

Ed Wright

JULY 2003

We were at an orchid society meeting the other night, and the Treasurer reported on the final tab for last spring’s orchid show. I was stunned. The money involved approached big business and that was before the new AOS fees went into effect. The whole thing set me thinking: why not have an orchid show just for fun?

Years ago, many societies lured prospective members and energized existing members by staging “bank lobby” shows. These weren’t always in a bank but they all had one thing in common: they gave pleasure to both exhibitors and attendees. On top of that, they were inexpensive to produce. Card tables became wonderful little individual exhibits and nobody felt compelled to bring in a construction crew with a cast of thousands.

Most of these shows were not judged and few even had a show schedule. What they did have was pretty flowers in a setting where people could see them and talk about them. Manning the information booth wasn’t a lifetime commitment in a setting that closed at a decent hour in the evening. Proud owners were glad to do the ‘show and tell’ bit for a couple of hours each day, frequently inviting friends to come by the exhibit during their shift so that special attention could be afforded.

Enterprising societies always had a table or booth where visitors could be given a sheet showing when and where for society meetings, perhaps a member number to call for additional information, and a tear off strip so each interested party could leave name, address and phone number. After the show, each registrant received a personal contact from someone in or near their zip code plus a copy of the next newsletter. Most societies saw a big surge in visitor attendance right after one of these shows and they were careful to schedule a newcomer –type program to further interest visitors and potential new members.

Once the bullet is bitten, all sorts of possibilities begin to emerge. Examining member recruitment as a task, opportunities appear at every hand. Perhaps another horticulture event is planned and an orchid booth or display would be welcome. Such opportunities are found through cooperation with local garden clubs, master gardener programs, school projects, displays at public botanical gardens and hobby meets. The event will differ but the pitch is always the same: we can bring an interesting and unique interest point to your event, staff it with knowledgeable people and give the public a huge bonus from your show. That is PR for “we can’t pay but it won’t cost you anything”. Public service and member recruiting make it profitable from the orchid society perspective. Besides all that, it is fun to bring word of the plants we love to people who are more eager to be convinced than we may know.

In more recent times, the big annual show has become the norm – for the society that is organized to produce it. That still leaves the struggling society that needs a dozen more members to really take off. It is the latter society that can benefit most from a “just for fun” show or two.  All it takes is a half dozen willing ‘doers’, a location and a determination to get together and enjoy orchids. No frills, no trophies and no printing bills, just a pleasant weekend of show and tell with new friends. Sound good? It’ll play even better. Your society can do one of these fun things in the next month or two without anybody even breathing hard. The fun will make it worthwhile and the boost for your society will be a huge added reward.

REMINISCING

By Kathy Wright, SWROGA Historian

The other day I started thinking of some of the great SWROGA friends we have known in the past or know now. I hope each of you will share your stories of the people of SWROGA who have meant much to you. Just let me know and I will gladly help you get such stories into print and into SWROGA history files.

One swell lady that I remember was Florise Edwards from Tulsa, who served many years as SWROGA Registrar. This was in the days before computers and other fancy office equipment. Even so, Florise did a bang-up job cheerfully and generously.  She really kept track of everyone in SWROGA and was a great help to lots of presidents, officers and committees.

Of course, we cannot overlook Jim and Katie Q Quattlebaum of the Red River Orchid Society. Many an orchid show they would arrive with four or five huge ice chests loaded with munchies and sodas. Everyone was invited to their motel room for a grand party. With all the people crowded in, the room got mighty comfy and cozy – chairs, beds and floor space filled to the brim. What fun: everyone talking and telling jokes nonstop. On a more serious side, Jim and Katie Q gave their full and loyal support to everything good in SWROGA. Unfortunately, Jim passed away just before he was to assume the presidency of SWROGA.

Another long-time friend is Ken Avant. Do you remember his beautifully grown, gorgeous Phalaenopsis? Ken certainly has a green thumb with orchids – one honed to perfection through his long and close association with our mutual Golden Triangle friend, Pete Lista, no doubt. While living in Fort Worth, Ken built three greenhouses and, on different occasions, each of them burned. About the time the third greenhouse went, Ken was transferred to Tennessee. Of course, he built another greenhouse (fireproof this time, one might hope) and must be growing big, beautiful Phals again because he has completed a large new greenhouse addition.

We all know and love Mary Jo and Steve McNerney. The two met and married while Steve was employed at Teas Nursery in Houston. Steve also was editor of SWROGA NEWS for a number of years and did an outstanding job. During his Houston sojourn, Steve also became an Accredited AOS judge. A golden opportunity came for Steve and Mary Jo to purchase Stewart Orchids in Carpinteria, California. Plans were made for the big move and off they went to the west coast. We all missed them from SWROGA activities, but they kept in touch with their southwest orchid friends. Soon, there was talk of a move to Natchez, MS, and sure enough, Mary Jo, Steve, greenhouses, orchids and Stew the cat all relocated to the banks of the Mississippi. Not quite SWROGA country, but near enough for good friends to be back home. Today, Stewart Orchids is a thriving Mississippi orchid house and the McNerneys are happily back in Mary Jo’s hometown. Their many years of hard labor are paying off and all of us wish them every success.

the Next issue

of the swroga news

is

October 25, 2003

UPCOMING EVENTS

These dates and information provided by the SWROGA Affiliated Societies Liaison Committee

For more recent information check the SWROGA website at www.swroga.org.

SWROGA NEWS                                                                                                     

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