President’s Message
October 2024
Yes, it's showtime, everyone! October has arrived, and we are finally forming the final ingredients necessary to put the finishing touches on our show this year, which makes me very excited. If you're wondering about what's happening—where, when, timing, and such—please refer to last month’s newsletter for that information.
I've just returned from a European vacation for a few weeks, and now I'm scrambling to get the last few things completed for my president's responsibilities. Now it’s my turn to get my trees ready for the show, making sure I have the foliage trimmed up and the necessary top dressing so that moss can be applied. Everyone, if you don't have a display stand you can use, check with John Thompson; he has been great at loaning out a variety of display types and sizes for members. Also, John is bringing moss to our first Thursday meeting that you can use if you don’t have any.
A final word: on Friday the 18th, the evening before our show at 7:00 pm, I would like to encourage everyone who can help out to be at the Community Center for erecting our displays. This will take about two hours that evening, so when we come in on the morning of the show, placing our trees will go quickly.
For Our First Thursday Meeting
Drew Tucker, our VP and supply chain expert for all things bonsai, will be presenting a short program reviewing the many products he sells that are available to our club members. Due to the Pacific Bonsai Expo taking place the following weekend, our show will have only a few bonsai vendors. We thought this opportunity was necessary for members to understand what's available from Drew and how you can use the many tools he sells for your future bonsai work.
As we enter the fall season, repotting our trees will be necessary, and Drew has the tools to make that operation much simpler. He also has bonsai soils, so plan ahead as the seasons change for your purchasing convenience. If you still need assistance with your trees that you plan to show, there will be time after Drew's presentation to get some help that evening. So bring in those trees that need attention!
Our Third Thursday Meeting
This will be our final time together before our show date. Ensuring we have our show responsibilities nailed down and trees ready to go will be the theme for that evening. Ray Stagner, our facilities person, needs everyone’s trees to be displayed with the proper name of each tree at least a week before the show so that the name tags can be printed out and be correct.
At lunchtime during our show, everyone will have access to a sandwich and a drink; it will be available in the kitchen of the facility for a small donation, if you like. Also, we're asking everyone to participate in selling raffle tickets for the demonstration tree being raffled off after John Thompson's program on stage. I will be the narrator during the demonstration, and at that time, we will also ask the four tree award winners to come up and accept their awards, and if possible, bring their trees for all to see.
Look For the Special Addition to Our Show
Each year, our club invites an Ikebana Club to participate in our show, and this year will be no different. They will have a beautiful presentation of floral arrangements that I'm sure everyone will enjoy. They will be working alongside us the evening before our show, putting together their arrangements. So please show them your respect while they work. It’s a very creative process that requires timely setup. I will be asking a couple of the Ikebana teachers to come up and be presented with a thank-you for their part in our show. 🌳