Re: Blue Sky Idea
- Subject: Re: [IGSROBIN] Blue Sky Idea
- From: "Cynthia S. Lohry" H*@AOL.COM
- Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 02:16:45 EDT
What can we come up with to increase membership so that IGS has more funds
available with which to implement some of these changes we are dreaming
about?
Of the $15 membership, approximately $13 goes for the cost of printing the
color journal and mailing it out. If the print run is reduced, the cost per
issue jumps, and the bottom line ends up about the same. This does not take
into account the monies spent to store the back issues, for postage, to
answer inquiries, process memberships etc.
Membership dues, back issue sales and donations are the source of IGS income.
Volunteers donate hundreds upon hundreds of hours of their time to IGS, and
there are many projects that IGS would like to commence, but we don't have
sufficient funds or volunteer time available to us.
What has been done:
IGS information is distributed at every IGS geranium show & sale, and also
distributed at local plant shows & sales and botanical functions whenever
possible
IGS speakers hand out IGS information at their talks and include it when they
write
articles for other publications
Info packets and samples of GATW sent to all garden related magazines so that
it could be added onto related articles
IGS accepts payments by credit card so that overseas members do not have to
purchase international money orders
website & online discussion group & Seed Center
Links to other geranium groups already in place on website
Reciprocal ads in other geranium publications
Geranium growers contacted and asked to include IGS information in their
catalogs/availability lists/posted at their nursery
-- if you're going to suggest contacting libraries to carry GATW, a sampling
was contacted and we were advised that GATW is too specific, or limited, a
topic. They do not have the space to store issues on such a finite subject
and must lean towards publications that have a wider scope.
***
And while we are at it, I would like to see a geranium conference in the US,
perhaps in conjunction with the IGS annual meeting. Multiple speakers. New
plant introductions on display. Tours to the local botanic gardens, display
gardens and nurseries of interest in the area where the conference is held.
A sale area with geranium books, art and collectibles. Demonstrations and
workshops.
Cynthia Lohry
