[Aroid-l] IAS Miami Show

From: agavestar at covad.net (Michael Mahan) on 2007.10.13 at 02:58:53(16479) I must agree with Betsy Feuerstein ..whole heartily .. I think that any dilution/reduction/movement of the status of the IAS Miami show would be a Huge Mistake ! My posts were meant to have a IAS presence at other garden & flower/orchid shows just to encourage new membership . as for a Westcoast IAS show & sale, there is no way that could fly as a stand up show / sale by its self . It would have to be in conjunction with some other established Garden / Home / Orchid Show as a booth or a junior partnership to an ongoing annual event . Even then there would have to be an Club well in place , that is a local entity established with board members & a bank account , just to even think of holding such a event or even a booth. And Betsy is right , that all takes a lot of hard work, long extensive planning , very loyal dedication & a willingness to devote a lot of one's own personal time from persons who would be able to stay in that mode for a long time, that & Cash ! Which would not be drawn from the IAS its self as that would dilute the reserves that fuel the Miami show . As for a moving show that in no way will work unless there is some IAS member who has really deep pockets to fund a tour of livings plants on a road tour with rented trucks and a support crew . Yes it sounds good about having a moving show to showcase are loved Ariods but come back to real world on this thinking. This is not a Rock Star on tour who can charge high ticket prices to cover the expenses of moving Live Plants across state lines. All this is I M H O .... Michael Mahan +More From: aroid-l-bounces at gizmoworks.com [mailto:aroid-l-bounces at gizmoworks.com] On Behalf Of Betsy Feuerstein Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 1:09 PM To: Discussion of aroids Subject: [Aroid-l] IAS Miami Show " I do suppose one of the most difficult issues would be the > transporting of plants for sale. Obviously a lot of the suppliers > for the Florida show are from that area and only have to load up a > truck to deliver the goods." Let's just take a moment to realize how difficult it is for the Miami area folk who do so very much to make the Aroid Show a major success. Denis and Ron Weeks and many others including Tricia do so very much to pull the show together each year with their many years of experience and dedication. Believe me, they do it with such grace, they make it look easy. It is not easy!!!!! I do not think there are growers of aroids in this genre in other places around this country. They give and give and give and share and share and share.................. Do realize once you let go of that backbone, you may well let go of having shows in Miami in the future. I understand your desire to move the show around, but it might be wise to contemplate what we might lose if we did such. Of course, I am sure other aspects might be gained. Change always opens doors and in the process, doors may well close so that going back may not be possible. Think twice before you give up the strength that we have in the backbone of IAS that exists in Miami..... Think of the Fairchild recognition as the home of the annual Aroid Show, think of the many folk who have been the strength for holding IAS together over these many years. If nothing else, have gratitude for all they have done to make IAS what it is today because I can assure you, without them, there would not have been nor would there be today, the organization we have this day! Those of us who have been to many shows have watched the dedicated cadre of energetic folks haul huge pots of fantastically grown aroids to Fairchild to put into the show and for display. Where else are you going to find such dedication? Denis Rotolante and now his son grow and share with us their wonderful show plants and then the newest of the aroid plants around for sale. Ron Weeks hauls stuff from the many in the area who need help getting plants to the show. I wish I could tell you how much these folks do to make the show such a success and then he hauls his own plants to the show, say anything about getting it all home after the show. I guess my suggestion is to go slow in dismantling the show in Miami because I think you would find that you lose far more than you gain. Perhaps have satellite smaller shows in other areas in addition or become an adjunct to some other show in individual areas but if you want to eliminate the show in Miami, you are literally giving away the backbone of IAS both financially and strength wise. Botanically Dr Croat and other botanists are there but without your backbone that binds the financial and dedication to the society, I think you will lose far more than you will gain. Once the show is not there, Fairchild will fill in the dates for the show with something else eliminating the connection to IAS. Without a place for the show, down the drain the Miami show goes. You either hold onto what we have, or you let the whole thing go................ It is easy to say have it every other year or some other yearly configuration, but you will find that one will not fly. Words are easy........ doing is something else. We all know how difficult it is to get people to do. Miami has a track record that I do not think you will ever be able to duplicate anywhere else. Continuity holds things together and roaming divides even though it provides opportunities for some to come into the realm who might not have been able to in the past. I suggest this issue be thought-out better before jumping to the easy solution, move, change, and we will have it all no matter what we do because in my opinion, you will find that in the short and long run, you will lose far more than you could possibly gain. Betsy -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/private/aroid-l/attachments/20071012/1e27d429/attachment-0001.htm

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