Re: Local iris society

In a message dated 96-08-06 07:50:24 EDT, you write:

> Any other tips on starting a local society? Do's and don'ts? 
>
>Does AIS have information available (perhaps in the form of a packet) to
>help new local club/society organizers get off the ground?

I do not know of any AIS info on this issue unless it is in the RVPs Handbook
(Kathy?).  But it is an subject that we should have info on, that's for sure.
 I hope Bill Smoot joins this issue, because he has had lots of recent
experience.

Some years ago, when our local society was going to meet at our house, I
wrote letters to all the Virginia members of AIS who were in "inactive"
chapters and invited them to attend the meeting.  A number of these people
from Richmond, Fredericksburg, and elsewhere came to the meeting where I
showed slides of species irises (obtained from SIGNA).  (It just happened
that I had potted up some Louisiana irises that come to late in the fall to
plant outside, and the day of the meeting, in January, the beautiful ruffled
white CLARA GOULA bloomed! It was, of course, a sensatiion!)

The people who came from Fredericksburg wanted to start a chapter, and Ruth
Walker started having meetings. Several of us from this area went and gave
programs for them, and our local society donated vast numbers of irises for
their sale in July, where they got lots of new members.  Within a year they
had really active club.  It took the determination and drive of Ruth Walker,
and some "hospitality."  There is nothing better than good homemade cooking
and pastries to entice people to come.

Later Ruth Walker did the same thing I had done re inviting people to a
meeting, and she went down  to Williamsburg and formed a chapter.  That
chapter had the gung ho Rich Randall, who in turn formed the Tidewater
Society.  Later he helped Bill Smoot form the Portsmouth, Cheaspeake and
Suffolk group....etc.  (I gave Ruth and Rich job descriptions for the
different chairmen at at iris show which I had prepared for our own
group..and all of them started having AIS sanctioned shows right after being
formed.It was less of a foreboding task to put on a show when everyone knew
exactly what they were supposed to do. These are on my old computer and I
know not where...but there are copies available...I think Bill S still has a
set.)

I hope you do form a society and if I can be of help, just ask!  Clarence
Mahan in VA
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