MINUTES OF GENERAL BUSINESS MEETING, 09/22/96 - 70

Members attended the general meeting on Sept. 22, 1996. The meeting convened at 2:30 PM.

Minutes -
The minutes from the May 11, 1996 general meeting were approved as written. Barb Larime posted the minutes from the July 23, 1996 board meeting on the bulletin board. President - Connie Bailie informed the members that Bill Brudon and Louisa Pieper will continue as historians for the society. Wendy Frisch will continue as publicity chair. Joanie Quinn will be the new membership chairperson.

Vice President -
Harry Winter indicated that there were pins for sale for $3 to members and $5 to non-members. Souvenir mugs for the 1996 Orchid Festival are also still available. There is still reagent for virus testing.

Secretary - Nothing to report.

Treasurer - Absent.

Shows -
The Traverse City Show will take place Oct. 26-27(setup on the 25th). The show committee will be looking for help and for plants for our display.

Hospitality -
Laura and Duane will continue as hosts and coordinators of refreshments. They asked that members continue to contribute refreshment items for the meetings.

Newsletter -
Neal Foster indicated that copies of the new Mid-America newsletter were available at the hospitality table.

General Membership Announcements -
Benny Gray informed the membership that the Keller and Stein Show would be held Oct. 4 - 6. Don Fishel gave an update on the University of Michigan Music Society Display. There is no word yet regarding for which performance we will provide the display. The meeting was adjourned at 2:50.

--Barb Larime, Secretary.

Ways and Means -
(our new name for the memorabilia committee, nicknamed the "baubles and trinkets" committee.) Our new AAOS pins will be for sale ($3.00 cost for members, $5.00 for non-members) at the October meeting, as well the remaining souvenir mugs with Ann Arbor Orchid Festival and our logo etched on them. They are the same design as those given as trophies (but without the trophy designation). The mug prices are: large, $8.00 each, set of 4, $25.00; small, $6.00 each, set of 4, $20.00. I think they will be out at the reception table, so Duane, Laura, or whoever's there will be selling them.

--Harry Winter

BEGINNER'S WORKSHOP:
Several members have expressed a desire to get together on an informal basis and learn about various orchids, their culture, or similar topics. Meetings could be held on a monthly basis or so, either during the week or on weekends. Meeting places would probably be at diffenernt members' homes.If you are interested in attending, have any suggestions, or can have a meeting at your house, please contact any of the board members during a meeting or by phone.

Recap of the Questionnaire
by Connie Bailie

Only 23 members took the time to fill out the questionnaire. I was disappointed at first but have taken the positive attitude that through your silence you are giving approval to all that goes on. I'm just not sure if 5% is a realistic representation of the AAOS. But without further information the board will extrapolate and make decisions based on the information given. But as always you can contact any of us at any time to voice your opinions or give your encouragement. Of those who participated the majority have been with the society since the first or second year, come regularly to meetings, belong to the AOS and have been growing orchids 1 to 8 years under an array of conditions with lights of some type or in a window as the most common. Most of the participants grow eclectically but a good portion have your favorites that you concentrate on. For the most part orchids are not the only plants we grow. Most are generally pleased with the meetings, travel 15 to 30 minutes, find AAOS members as congenial and the atmosphere to be neither too formal or too casual. And most find the programs to be diverse, good for beginners as well as the more experienced. Most have attended an orchid show, and were willing to help with our first Orchid Festival (hope you will help this year!).

Programs were definitely a winner. Alex has done an exceptional job coordinating programs and and hustling speakers so they are diverse and informative. Programs are the meat of our organization and we have been overwhelmingly pleased with the selection. With Alex's never ending list of speakers and the suggestions given we are in for another good year of programs. If programs is the meat of our society then I guess the newsletter is the potatoes of our organization and this portion of the questionnaire was for me the most interesting. The plant table list was placed as one of the features like best by 3 of the participants but 5 placed as their least liked feature. Giving it a -2. Using that kind of reasoning the plant table list is the least liked feature of the newsletter. Why? I think it's the names of the members that put some of you off. Anyway, general information articles and program recaps were the two favorites with reports of club projects coming in next. The orchid calender came in low but not as low as the club business. But because each one was a favorite by some as well as being the least liked by others the newsletter will probably not go through any major changes, (unless nobody helps with it! Hint!), and may even improve (if you can imagine that) with all the helpful comments, for instance, a help column, a list of orchid businesses and seasonal growing tips, etc. (sounds like more work huh).

The questionnaire final tabulation has been given to all the board members and volunteer positons. If you also would like to have the results please let me know prior to a meeting or send a self addressed, self stamped envelope to C. Bailie, 2224 N. Dixboro Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48105. Thank you to everyone for your help!