May 2026 - Message from the President

May 2026

Welcome again to all our new members!  We are so glad you’ve joined us.  If you have not received them already, your name badges will be available at the picnic and/or when we resume our meetings at the end of August (more to come on that!)

If you weren’t at the meeting you missed a fascinating talk by Daryl Yerdon on his orchid tours to Ecuador.  It is really something to see plants we work hard to succeed with in our homes, such as Epidendrums and Phragmipediums, literally growing on the roadside in another country.  I think more than a few of us are ready to sign up for a tour next year!

Announcements from the meeting:

Our June monthly meeting will be replaced by a June picnic, hosted by John, Cathy & Frank Scheckton at Cathy and Frank’s house in Canton.  Picnic date – Saturday June 27^th, rain date Sunday 6/28.  More detail/directions, etc. to follow so mark your calendars. As usual, NSOS will provide hot dogs, hamburgers, etc.  Members will be asked to bring an appetizer, side or dessert to share.  Sign-ups will be published so we don’t have too much of one thing.   We’ll of course have a fundraiser table as well.

Financial highlights from our show (detailed financials are available on request)

o   We made a net profit of a little over $2800, which was about $600 less than last year.  However, we had about $600 – 700 of pre-purchased NSOS clothing left over, which we will continue to have available at our meetings for members to purchase which would zero out that difference.

o   Our gross was approximately $1200 more than the last two years.   

o   We had several increased costs this year, some of which, such as Taylor Rental, we will not have in future years.All in all it was a very successful show.  Thank you all who helped make it a success!

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We’re going to have a plant auction! In lieu of our usual October monthly meeting, we will be having an auction.  We haven’t had one in a few years and there have been requests to do another and the board listened.  Our fundraiser table coordinator, Marissa Mason, will be organizing the acquisition of plants, both purchased and donated.   More details to come later, but if you are doing some Spring dividing of your favorite plants, please consider donating a healthy division to the auction.

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The election -  Thank you to all the members who attended and voted in person, and to those who sent email votes (both affirmative).  With no additional nominations from the floor, the published slate was approved by the attending members: Ginna Plude (Pres), Mark Wendell (VP), Barb Putko (Tres), Loi Nham (sec), Directors – John Scheckton, Len Yanavich/Michael McIntyre, Karen Timko.  All board members with the exception of Loi and Karen are starting second terms.

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The Northeast Judging Center, of which myself, Karen and Barb are members, will be holding an auction on June 13^th in Wycoff, NJ (info will be posted on our website).  This is the center's only fundraising event.  Judging centers are not financially supported by the AOS.  This is an opportunity to acquire some harder to find plants donated by commercial growers and many judges, often donating divisions of awarded plants.   A catalog of plants will be available online closer to the auction date.

 Planning ahead, our first meeting this fall, usually the first weekend of September will be pushed back a week to Sunday August 30th due to the Labor Day holiday.  In doing so we also have a terrific opportunity because Tim Culbertson, Oceanside Orchids in CA, will be on the East Coast that weekend for the J&L Outreach happening on Aug 29th.  He will be our speaker and will bring plants to sell, a fabulous way to start the next meeting season. And finally on behalf of the NSOS family, we want to wish Gaby Rivera-Del Rio and her wife Liz a fond farewell and safe travels as they are moving to Dallas, Texas in June for work and to be closer to family.  Gaby has designed our show flyer the last two years and has graciously offered to do so next year!  We will miss you both!

Enjoy the increasingly longer days and warmer temps.  Start preparing you outdoor spaces, if you summer plants outdoors, sooner than later so that you're not scrambling to get the space ready (of which I have been guilty!) when the weather permits (night temps in the 50's).