CVIOS JUNE 2024 NEWSLETTER

Presidents Message

It’s surprising how time flies; summer is once again upon us. Outdoor activities, from gardening to recreational pursuits, have become our top priority. From spending time with family and friends, to exploring new trails and parks, the summer season is all about making the most of the great outdoors.

With all the activities that summer brings, it is important that we keep an eye on our orchids - those placed outside in strategic locations receiving optimal conditions, and those remain indoors - all of which should be monitored regularly to prevent scorching and dehydration.

As my term as president comes to a close, I must say that our club has experienced significant changes over the past year. Our move to the Mount Benson Legion resulted in higher membership and attendance at the meetings for the first time since COVID restrictions ended. As well, we've had a number of well-received speakers, along with other notable developments.

During my presidency, with the collaborative efforts of our executive team and dedicated members, we’ve achieved may of our goals. Although time has run out for me to complete all of my initiatives, I am confident that the next president will be well-equipped to tackle the remaining tasks. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all members who have contributed to our success over the past year. Your hard work, dedication, and commitment have been invaluable, and I am honored to have worked alongside such a talented and driven group of individuals.

As I look back and reflect on the journey that has led us to where we are today, I ponder what the future holds for the club - both in terms of unknowns and opportunities.

In closing, I would like to remind everyone that the June 30th meeting is the club's AGM. It's crucial that you attend, not only to support candidates for the various positions, but also to consider stepping up for either a board position or volunteering for one of the posts needed to help make the club successful.

Warm Regards,

Bernard Kespe

Announcements

The final meeting of the 2023/2024 year will be taking place June 30. It will be our Annual General Meeting at which time all members will have the opportunity to vote for who will fill the positions of the CVIOS Executive Committee. These positions are usually: President, Vice President,  Treasurer, Secretary and Show Chair.

Note: if the revised Constitution and By-laws is passed prior to the elections, then, the only positions that need to be filled are Treasurer, Secretary, and Show Chair. The term of these positions is two years.

We would like to encourage each of you to consider taking on one of these roles. This is a great opportunity to get involved, contribute to the growth and development of our organization, and make a positive impact on our community.

Last Chance for CVIOS Plants before Summer

We are happy to let you know that these beautiful plants will available for purchase at the June meeting! As you can see, they appear mature, happy and healthy - several in bloom. We look forward to seeing you there.

As a CVIOS member, you likely have received an email in mid May from Bernie, the CVIOS president, outlining the proposed revised constitution and bylaws.

To explain some background, it is helpful to look at the “official” definition of a Society in B.C.:

In B.C., not-for-profit / non-profit organizations are known as societies. Societies are independent, democratic organizations that are required to comply with the Societies Act and their own constitution and bylaws.

The CVIOS’s Constitution and Bylaws have not been officially revised for several years. This year, a committee was formed and the bylaws were carefully reviewed and revised. These proposed revised bylaws are available here (an unlinked page on our website) for you to review.

There will a vote at the June meeting to officially accept these revised bylaws, as long as we have quorum at the meeting.

Thank you to Bernie and Leslie for taking on this important, and likely tedious task!

AOS Western Canada Judging Center Results, May 2024

At the AOS Western Canada Judging Center’s Monthly Judging on May 11, 2024, the following AOS awards were granted:

(please note that all awards are considered provisional until paperwork and payment is processed by AOS and published in OrchidPro)

Photos Courtesy of Maureen Burke and Collis Wilson

CVIOS Minutes May 26, 2024 General Meeting

1. The meeting was called to order at 11:50 by President Bernie Kespe.
2. There were 15 in attendance, including one new member and one guest. 3. Gary approved the April minutes, Dora seconded.
4. We have 64 members, 18 are new this year.
5. Treasurer was absent, her report is deferred to the June meeting.

Old Business:

Our Paramount Orchids visit. Valerie passed on thanks from Chuck and Brian to those who attended. Approximately 17 visited - it was a long weekend. Chuck appreciates the pre-orders because he can pick out the best plant(s) for you. There will be another visit in the Fall.

New Business:
1. The vote on commissions from plant sales was deferred as we didn’t have a quorum.

2. Bernie went over the various aspects of the positions to be filled and asked members to seriously consider supporting their club by running for a position. The Secretary position will now include Membership. Sheila Wilson is co-ordinating the election, so please let her know if you will stand. Contact her at mesheshe@shaw.ca 250-591-2446

3. Revisions to Constitution and By-laws. Some questions and comments were addressed, voting will be at the AGM.

4. Michael showed us several books and encouraged members to sign them out. A list may be developed of the titles in the library. Bernie has a file of the covers and a synopsis of the contents. Talk to him if you want to see it.

5. Lynne showed the lovely and varied display table plants and gave us a brief description of the plants and their needs.

6. Lunch break.

7. 50/50 of $11.00 went to Rachael H. There were several door prizes which were won by various members.

8. Our guest speaker was unable to attend so Bernie showed us a short video on the Ghost Orchids of Florida. Beautiful, weird plants that only live out in the swamps with a lovely big moth to pollinate them. We need to line up other guest speakers/ videos/ Zoom programs which are not too expensive. It was suggested that we re-subscribe to Orchid Digest as they often have ideas for guest speakers.

9. The meeting adjourned at 1:45.

Minutes taken by S. Wilson

Editor’s Note

This will be the last newsletter of the 2023/2024 year. Thank you to all of the contributors of photos and information over the past 10 months!

A special thanks to Bernie, who is always just a text or phone call away to answer any last minute questions and to provide incredible photos of his beautiful collection.

Also thank you to Keith for keeping the show table photos up to date on the website. This is a process which requires a lot of behind the scenes editing and labelling - your talent is much appreciated.

Finally, a personal note of thanks to Ken. He has sent photos of his plants and family artwork over the past several years and I am grateful for his messages.

If anyone would like to assist with newsletter input next year, I would be grateful for someone to help with content especially relevant orchid growing tips and tricks. Of course, if you prefer to take over the newsletter, please speak with Bernie or myself!

Thanks for reading!

Melanie Norris

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