In preparing information for the nomination committee it
become obvious to me that the same people in our society
keep getting involved with the various activities that keep our
society happening. Most of our committees are made up by
board members. The chair of one committee will be a member
of another committee and vice versa. This pattern is repeated
through out many of the committees formed to date. Elected
officers and non-elected board members already committed
to one job, invariably volunteer for another job. It wasn't by
design but rather it is a case of contagious momentum.
Our society keeps growing in leaps and bounds in the way of
activities. Ideas are exchanged, we get excited and then make
it so. In just the last two years we've added an Orchid
Festival, increased our participation in orchid shows, created
a supply store, increased our library, offer viral testing,
increased our newsletter, put the newsletter on the web,
conduct field trips and more. And there are ideas for even
more activities for the membership.
The problem is we've created a lot of activity with a handful
of people. Now you may think that's just fine, cause it's all
getting done, but it isn't. One reason is we're already being
accused of creating an old boy's club, and we're less than five
years old! Two, I see signs of burn out. And three, our
creative juices can only go so far. This line of progress has got
to stop and we need your help. The board has made some
effort to remedy this, as with the library committee (having 4
librarians to rotate the workload) and as with the newsletter
committee by farming out the mailing to three members who
are eager to help in this way, but we need your help. We need
you to volunteer and help in the many other projects this club
undertakes. Let's diversify our committees. Our committee
should be constantly changing and rearranging through time so
no one is leaned on too much and everyone has the
opportunity to shape our club.
We've got an incredible membership and I bet there are many
talents you can share that would benefit our club Let's not go
the way that some societies have gone, creating an elite group
who remain in control of the society workings and thereby
limiting the growth of that society. What we need is everyone
sharing in our growth process at one point or another thereby
having our society benefiting by the many talents and
personalities of our membership.
Listed below are some of the committees that need new blood and the present chair. Take a look and see where you can help and give them a call. By next year at this time we should be looking at a new set of names of members and chairs for each of these committees. Also, the up coming Orchid Festival is the perfect way to get your feet wet. Volunteer positions for the Orchid Festival are listed on the next page.
Show Committee, chair Lynn O'Shaughnessy. This
committee organize the exhibits we set up in Michigan and
neighboring states. One person will act as coordinator for a
particular show, overseeing the various aspects of producing
the orchid exhibit. These include transporting and setting up
of staging, exhibit design, obtaining orchids from AAOS
members, exhibit set-up, "mossing" of orchids, making signs
and filling out registration tags. These are easy jobs if done by
several people, and most can be done on a show by show
basis. We found some new faces at the GLOS show, so we're
off to a good start. The Show Committee itself needs
members to help with general organization and ideas.
AAOS Orchid Festival Committee, chair Alex Challis.
While we have the base for this year's show, we need people
to learn the ropes for shows in future years.
AAOS Store, chair Glenn Lehr. As a service to our
members, we are now selling orchid growing supplies and
books at our monthly meetings. The store is newly formed
and already a great success. If we had a couple of people that
could share the responsibility of setting up and selling prior to
our meeting, it wouldn't be such a commitment to any one
member.
Raffle Table, no chair at present. This group could rotate
selling raffle tickets, set up the raffle table and oversee the
quality standards of this area.
Silent Auction, chair and only member Lynn
O'Shaughnessy. Many hands make light work. Like the
Raffle Committee, this group could also rotate the
responsibility of running this important money making
venture.
Memorabilia Committee, chair Harry Winter. Lots of
ideas, just no one to help make it so.
Summer Picnic and Holiday Party, no chair at present, it
always just happens by various board members putting it all
together. We need members who are willing to make sure
everything is organized and help with set up.
If you are interested in helping, please see me or call me.
Connie Bailie