More Club History

 

The second meeting of the orchid club was held August 18, 1963, at the Eastern Airlines new recreation center.  As a means of fundraising at each meeting, the raffle was started.  For the purchase of a 25 cent raffle ticket, people took a chance on winning an orchid to add to their collections.

 

The club promoted and continues to promote education in the culture and care of orchids among hobbyists.  The club was and continues to be very active in the community.

 

When the Jetport was first built in the Everglades in the early 1970's, the EALOC members made numerous rescue missions around the new training Jetport to save orchids destined for destruction.  These rescued orchids were transplanted to Grossman's Hammock because most of the naturally growing orchids in the hammock had been stripped away by collectors.

 

As contractors developed areas of the Everglades, beginning in 1974, EALOC members collected orchids to relocate them.  During a fire in April 1974, the club members made a valiant effort in an area west of the Fahkahatchee Strand in the Big Cypress Swamp to save orchids that would have gone up in smoke.  The members planned on working over as many areas as they could until sundown.  However, the fires in the area were being fanned by the wind and the group had to call it quits by noon.  They had rescued 300 plants which were also placed in Grossman's Hammock.  At least 10 native species were saved at that time. During these rescue missions, the club worked closely with the resident ranger, Lieutenant Martin.