Minutes of the October 12, 2009, Meeting
April 11, 2010
President Bob Cleveland called the meeting to order and welcomed members and guests. Tonight’s program will be the annual members’ auction.
Treasurer’s Report Carl Burnham reported that we have a balance of $2,582.52 in our account. The dues for the current year are now due. Please get your payment in to Carl as soon as possible, along with the update sheet with your contact information. Dues are still $15.00 for an individual member and $25.00 for a household membership.
Old Business
President Bob Cleveland announced that he is lining up the programs for the meetings this spring. In April Bob is pursuing a speaker from Connecticut. In May we will have the annual Vendors’ Auction, and a Seedling Night will follow in June. Bob also reported that Steve Perkins recently went on a trip to Borneo and will put together a power point presentation for an upcoming talk for the group. The November meeting will be a potting demonstration by Ulla Jurrisen and maybe Jan too, of Kelley’s Korner Orchid Supplies. The December meeting will be a small slide show by Bob Cleveland and the annual holiday pot luck dinner.
New Business
Speaker Marie Peck suggested that we may be able to get a speaker who has recently authored a book.
Swap Night John Mattor brought up the idea that we might want to consider having a “swap night” rather than an auction next time. Maybe we could charge a little fee to register and swap plants so that the Society could get a little income from it.
Orchid Show Bob Cleveland stated that the Massachusetts Orchid Society will hold a fall show during Halloween weekend in Boylston, Mass. Bob will be leaving at 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning. Contact him if you would like to car pool down. The show runs Thursday through Sunday. The theme is “Bewitched by Orchids.”
Show Table President Bob Cleveland reviewed the show table which contained some lovely blooming orchid plants members had brought in to show. Some of the orchids on display tonight were a Dendrochilum Magnum which had been grown in a sunroom, a Bick Mack, a Ma Bell, a lovely Masdevalia, a Mini Laelia, a Phragmipedium species, a very fragrant LC named Secret Love, and a Cattleya with vivid, fragrant magenta blooms.
Annual Members’ Auction A spirited auction followed with members taking turns auctioning off five plants from their own collections at a time. Members selling plants were able to raise a little cash and make room in their greenhouses or windowsills for new acquisitions. Members buying the plants were able to increase their collections at an affordable price. Many good deals were made with a small portion of the proceeds going to the Society.
Raffle Tonight’s raffle included several plants, orchid baskets and even a Swiss knife suitable for greenhouse use.