How many others drive a ways to their meetings? It's an hour and 20 minutes for me - and it's in the heart of Kansas City. The folks who live there don't seem to mind, but for small town people like me, the distance and the traffic combine to convince me stay home. We have nearly all collectors in my local club. I am very interested in hybridizing, so not much common ground.
I think our local club does pay speakers, but the speakers bring enough plants to off-set that cost with the auctions, so it's pretty much a draw. I would say my favorite part of the meetings has been annual garden tours of the local gardens. We drew up a map and caravan-ed from one garden to the next with lunch generally at one of the gardens. I enjoyed seeing the plants growing locally.
My advice is to get good chatty folks who enjoy meeting new people and put them in charge of new members. Contact those new folks - maybe email, maybe Facebook, maybe by phone, and keep in touch in between meetings. Explain during the meetings now and then how the club gets door prizes, how a flower show is organized and run, how to hybridize, how to grow and fertilze, and make sure everyone feels welcome to volunteer. Organize a bus trip or two (or carpool
) to visit a nearby club auction or garden tour!
Sometimes people get so used to the routine, they forget to include new people and give them a chance to contribute.
Ok, I'm off my soap box now.
I do wish I had a club within 30 minutes or so and not in such a metropolitan area. Good luck to you Theresa. A good club close to you would be a wonderful thing indeed!
