JARS v59n4 - From The President

From The President
Len Miller
Grove, Oklahoma

As we go into our fall season the chapter activity begins anew. All chapters run on the fuel of volunteerism. We are truly a volunteer organization. Leadership is essential for any organization. Someone has to take responsibility to do the many functions of our chapter. We are fortunate to have so many talented members working on chapter projects and making our meeting enjoyable. From the refreshments to the speakers, it’s a great time and beats watching the reality shows on the tube. The reward for a job well done is the highest honor a chapter can give, the Bronze Medal. This award recognizes the person for a long history of service to the local chapter. It is important to reward those who have given their time, talent and sometimes money to help the chapter. Local chapters can give other awards and some use "Award of Merit" to recognize those who have volunteered in behalf of the chapter. If your chapter is not using these tools to reward your members, I encourage you to do so.

Most ARS members grow deciduous azaleas in the their gardens. Species often grow in the wild near your home. It’s a fun project for a chapter or study group to go to the areas these plants grow and observe them in the natural state. We recently discovered Rhododendron canescens in our county (Delaware Co. OK), which I believe to be the most western range of this species. You may discover rhododendrons that have been overlooked. Good hunting.

Remember rhododendrons make the most beautiful gardens.