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Orchid Society of the Palm Beaches P O Box 211463

Royal Palm Beach FL 33421 www.orchidsocietyofthepalmbeaches.org

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December 2014

Christmas Bloomers

Blc. Fortune Treat ‘Mafic Gold” Blc. Tangerine Horses x Blc. Carolina Blc. George King ‘Southern Cross ’AM/AOS x Blc. Chinese Gold ‘Marco Polo’ Orange Glow

Bc. Maikai Blc. Goldenzelle ‘Frank Smith’ C. Shirley Ann Craig

We wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah & Happy New Year The OSPB Board of Directors

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Hello Everyone, It was a wonderful party! 53 members and guests had a rip-roaring time at our Holiday Party, December 11th. My dinner entrée of prime rib was excellent, the company at our table was fabulous and our orchid gift plants; all in bloom, were absolutely beautiful. Jacob took control and moved the evening along playing games and giving out awards to members who volunteered their time and worked hard for us this year. Susie Cioci won an award for chairing and coordinating the decorating of the Anniversary Party in August. Frank Cianfrone was awarded a beautiful, huge Vanda for being our official photographer at the meetings. Our good friend, Tony Romani of R&R Orchids, donated several of his gorgeous Phal’s and another huge Vanda for the raffle plant. It was won by Past-President, Bob Aymond. Our Secretary, Mary Scheitler, received the Milton Carpenter Award, a very handsome plaque presented for outstanding service to our society, for all the many tasks she undertook for us in 2014. She has been a wonderful asset to OSPB ever since she became a member a few years ago. Congratulations to you all…!

Our new Board of Directors was installed at the party. Jacob Galeski as President; Charline Nakamura, Vice President; Mary Scheitler, Secretary; Gloria Kennedy, Treasurer; John Wallace, Trustee; and Alan Lasch, Trustee. One Trustee seat remains vacant. It is very exciting to look forward to 2015 and all the good times in store for us at OSPB. We will start off with Greg Alikas as our speaker January 8th. He will be teaching us how to photograph our orchids to properly assure that

we capture the true beauty of the blooms of these marvelous plants. Greg has been a photographer since 1970. He owns his own photography business, Orchid Works, in W. Palm Beach. He has won many awards for his beautiful photographs. He was the official awards photographer for the American Orchid Society’s, W Palm Beach and Florida-Caribbean Judging Centers and has been invited to travel the world to photograph orchid shows. He has published 4 books; 2 of them co-authored by Ned Nash, formerly with Stewart Orchids and most recently the AOS. If you want a glimpse of his work go to www.orchidworks.com or you can also check out www.graphicgreg.com I have known Greg for 30 years and am proud to consider him my friend. Invite your friends because this is really going to be an interesting

program that everyone will enjoy. Let’s pack the house. (This picture is from the webpage of the

Venice Orchid Society. It is used with permission from John Masters, the president.)

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Marty Cianfrone will be our new Hospitality Chairperson, and our refreshment table should be loaded with goodies in January. We have 8 members celebrating their birthdays and they are in charge of bringing refreshments. They are Barbara Addicott, Sadie Bicknell, Frank Cianfrone, Elaine McKelvey, Kitty Philips, Cynthia Wroblowsky Cam O’Neil and Dot Reip. Happy Birthday Everyone! I have volunteered to arrive in time to keep the building open. As most of you already know; this is my last newsletter. I am going to take a break and turn it over to Doris Happel. It will be good to hear the news from someone else’s perspective. When I started, I had no idea how to write a newsletter but I knew we needed one badly. I did know how to write a letter however as I wrote all the letters to my brothers pen pal, Olga in England, when I was about 12 or 13. She never knew it wasn’t my brother writing to her. So when I started it, I just wrote a letter. At one point I thought about changing the format and my good buddy Charline said, “No, it’s perfect like it is. It’s just like getting a newsy letter from home”. So, for 8 years we have had a Newsy Letter. I’ve enjoyed doing it and keeping you all up to date and informed but I have a big greenhouse that needs filling up and that is where I want to spend my time now. Doris will do a fine job for you. She has the experience and the expertise to get the job done and Frank will keep her supplied with pictures to keep you up to date on the meetings, sales and current events. Thank you everyone for all your kind words and compliments over the years. I cherish them all. Notes from Charline…. Many thanks to my wonderful helper’s this year. It is a lot of work to unpack all of the beautiful orchids we order for our special events. This year, 8 people stepped up. Thanks go to Katie McGiveron, Gloria Kennedy, Alan Lasch, Marie Reddy, Linda Greco, Sue Cioci, Sadie Bicknell and Frank Cianfrone. They all agree to be “on call” awaiting the delivery of the boxes of plants by UPS, which come anytime between 11 AM and 4 PM. They unwrapped the plants, carefully removed the protective covers over the buds, lined them up in trays, toted them outside to my greenhouse, AND they swept up the mess on the floor and tables and put the chairs back in order. What a team! They all said they enjoyed being part of the process. Yes, many hands make light work. Let me know if you want to be a helper too over the next year. We need 3 to 4 people for each delivery. (561-968-0440). Congratulations to Linda Greco, Patt Lindsey and Jacob Galeski. They have already bloomed the Arachnis maingai orchids that were gifted to the society last fall. Most of you should have flowers too next summer.

As Patt turns over her newsletter duties to Doris Happel next year, I have to say thank you Dear Patt for the very important job you have done for 8 years. You have kept us all up to date and shared so much in pictures. The recaps of our speakers programs are so appreciated by those of us who can’t write it fast enough or had to miss the meeting. Your bios of the speakers have been a big help to me. (I don’t know where you get all of that information!) Your personal comments have been fun too – like a letter from Patt every month. Thank you again. (Aww shucks, it weren’t nothin’). And Doris we welcome you to this important job for our society. Your experience as a professional writer and plant expert will make another great newsy letter I know.

I can’t wait to see what you come up with.

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Lord have mercy, I just received a call from the computer tech again. This time I’ve been hacked by someone in Russia. I told him in no uncertain terms that I do not need him anymore. I found an honest repair shop locally who removed all the bugs they deposited into my computer and don’t call me anymore, EVER…!!! and now thus far, I’ve gotten 4 urgent e-mails. Enough already). ______________________________________________________________________ Upcoming Shows…… January 3rd – 4th Sarasota Orchid Society 58th Annual Show & Sale, Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N. Tamiami Trail (Hwy. 41) January 17 – 18th Tamiami International Orchid Festival, Dade County Fairgrounds Expo Center. 50+ vendors. This is a fantastic, fun show. Tropical Orchid Society will have a bus going down on Saturday. Leaving the Mounts Auditorium parking lot at 8:30; returning around 5:00. $25 includes admission to the event and a $5 coupon. Call Cheryl 561-329-4390 (This is the best and easiest way to go. Relax, shop till you drop and then take a nap on the way home). Januart 23rd – 25th Ft. Lauderdale Orchid Society Show and Sale at the War Memorial Auditorium, 800 N.E. 8th St. Free Parking this year. The show season is going into full swing. There is no excuse for having any spare money lying around. Keep it circulating. Help the economy. Tony Romani, The Vanda Man of R&R Orchids, has been a very special friend to our society. If you need the perfect gift for someone special go see Tony. You will find him at the West Palm Beach Green Market on Saturday and the Palm Beach Gardens Green Market on Sunday. His Vanda’s are exceptionably beautiful and as you can see from his picture, they come in almost every color of the rainbow. If you want an even greater treat… go visit him at his greenhouses in Loxahatchee Groves. Be sure to call him first 561-541-2992 he’s a very busy fellow and he sometimes likes to sneak off and go fishing. Thank you Tony for all you do for the Orchid Society of the Palm Beaches. We love you! As the days get closer to Christmas and we get so busy our heads seem to start spinning, take the time to check on your orchids. I have noticed a few patches of scale moving into my collection. It’s that time of year. Keep your 409/Alcohol mix handy and zap them at first sign. Mix 1 part 409; 1 part rubbing alcohol; 1 part water and a few drops of Dawn dishwashing detergent and keep it handy in a spray bottle. It works and it is safe to use.

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This is my Christmas card to all of you. I used it before several years ago. Some of you may remember it but the sentiment is still the same. I don’t know who wrote it but it echo’s my feelings exactly.

Christmas Cards There is a list of folks I know all written in a book. And every year when Christmas comes, I go and take a look. And that is when I realize, that these names are all a part, not of the book they are written in, but in my very heart. Each name stands for someone who has crossed my path sometime and in that meeting, they’ve become the rhythm of that rhyme. And while it sounds fantastic for me to make such a claim ….. I really feel that I’m composed of each remembered name. And while you may not be aware of any special link, just meeting you has changed my life a lot more than you think. For once I’ve met someone, the years cannot erase the memory of a pleasant word or of a friendly face. So never think my Christmas card that is addressed to you, is because you’re on the list of folks I’m indebted to. For I am but the total of many folks I’ve met and you happen to be one of them, I prefer not to forget. And whether I have known you for many years or few, in some way you have had a part in shaping things I do. And every year when Christmas comes, I realize anew ….. the best gift life can offer is meeting folks like you. …….Author Unknown I wish each and every one of you a happy, healthy and joyful holiday season and I look forward to seeing you all in 2015 at the January 8th meeting. Bring a Friend….!!!! Your Crazy Orchid Buddy signing off one last time.

Patt Lindsey

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Pictures by Frank, Cheryl, Bill & Patt

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Please Support Our Sponsors

I want to welcome a brand new orchid society that has just been formed in the Vero Beach area. On December 16th the Treasure Coast Orchid Society officially became a not-for-profit corporation in the state of Florida. They already have 65 members and their first meeting will be in January 2015. That’s a terrific start for a brand new society. Congratulations TCOS….!!!