Monthly Meeting Features
The club meets in the WC 130 classroom, next to the Wertheim Conservatory at FIU on the third Friday of every month. The meetings are informal, friendly, educational, informative, interesting, and fun! Meeting attendance is a way to get to know people better, share growing tips, gain knowledge and receive free advice or help with problem plants. It is also an opportunity to acquire more orchids via the silent auction and plant raffles. Guests are always welcome. Refreshments are brought in by those members who volunteer to bring them. There is a silent auction table at each meeting, as well as a "Show and Tell" table where members bring in their beautiful flowering plants to share with the rest of the club members. At some meetings, the "Show and Tell" table is so abundant that it's like a mini orchid show. Club dues are only $15.00 a year, a real bargain!!!
Guest Speaker
Each month a different speaker is invited to talk to the group. These speakers are experts in many different areas relating to orchid collections and care.
Silent Auction
In addition to the three kinds of raffles, members have the opportunity to bid on a variety of different plants in silent auctions. Individuals furnish these plants in the hopes of being able to sell them.
Door Prize Drawings
In addition to the raffle, three drawings are held. One is a "members only" raffle where one wins by having the member's number drawn at random. Another drawing for a plant is for a lucky person who is a member of the American Orchid Society (AOS). The third drawing is based upon a separate ticket that is attached to the row of purchased tickets.
Show and Tell
Members bring in their treasured orchids to share with the group. To encourage greater member participation, ribbons are not awarded. Thus, members feel less intimidated to bring in their plants. Everyone learns through "sharing".
Raffle Ticket Sales
A variety of extraordinary plants are provided by the club. Raffle tickets may be bought by everyone. This is a great way to get quality plants for a nominal cost. Having fun is the end result.
Refreshments
On a monthly basis, members sign up to bring refreshments. Members have the chance to socialize while enjoying snacks during the break after the speaker presentation and before the "show and tell" and raffle sessions.