Just out of curiosity, I'd be interested in finding out why people stay
in or leave an orchid society. On one hand, the once-a-month
comaraderie is nice and some of the guest speakers are interesting, but
on the other hand, doing jobs for a society can be very time consuming,
expensive, and frustrating. Thoughts?

OrchidKitty wrote:
Just out of curiosity, I'd be interested in finding out why people stay
in or leave an orchid society. On one hand, the once-a-month
comaraderie is nice and some of the guest speakers are interesting, but
on the other hand, doing jobs for a society can be very time consuming,
expensive, and frustrating. Thoughts?


There is only a small group of people in any society (orchid or
otherwise) that do 95% of the work. You need maybe 10 people to do a
good job planning and executing a show, for example (and more to do
things like bring food and clerk and whatnot, but that is the easy
part). So, in a society of 20 members, half of them are doing all of
the work and half are coasting. In a society of 100 members, 10% are
doing all the work and the others coasting...

Some people are volunteers and some people are not. If you don't want
to be a volunteer, you just have to find a bigger society. Keep your
hand down when they beg for help and hope somebody else does it.

I think people stay or leave based on how convenient and interesting the
meetings are. Some people will maintain a membership to recieve a good
newsletter, some people are members for some real or perceived benefit
to them (a discount at a local nursery, good plants on the raffle
table.. who knows). Some people like the talks and learning about
orchids. The benefits have to outweigh the inconvenience of attending
meetings in remote locations, etc.

Rob
--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

"OrchidKitty" wrote in message
ups.com...
Just out of curiosity, I'd be interested in finding out why people stay
in or leave an orchid society. On one hand, the once-a-month
comaraderie is nice and some of the guest speakers are interesting, but
on the other hand, doing jobs for a society can be very time consuming,
expensive, and frustrating. Thoughts?


Thoughts? How about a rant? LOL!!!

I left my orchid society because - in the final analysis - I couldn't keep
my mouth shut. I guess I'm an enabler at heart. If something needed doing,
I went ahead and did it. It was fun for the first 8 years, and then I
noticed that it really was true. That the same 5 people in the society of
100 did *everything*. NONE of the membership helped out. We even tried
saving a last raffle table plant to raffle to people who stayed to help
clean up, however everyone sat on their cans waiting for the last plant and
*watching* the same 5 people clean up....so that was a dreadful waste.

So I dropped out.

Everyone in the area was floored. But the society is still toddling along,
with the same 4 people doing all the work. They ask me if I'm ever coming
back...do I hate them... will they never see me again?? But the answer is
no, I won't come back. If I do I'll jump to their aide like I did last
time... so no. No more societies for me because I'll volunteer to help and
there goes my family, my plants and my job.

People may say I'm overstating this, but I'm not. Its true. I'd go from my
day job (8 hours) and then to the computer where I'd work on the
OrchidSafari stuff (which I've also curtailed my acttivity) for 3-4 hours
4-6 days a week... Plus post here at lunch time, or while I'm drinking my
morning coffee.

All that has stopped, except me posting here in the AM and my lunch hour.
The boyfriend now knows what my face looks like instead of the back of my
head from looking at a computer. We are getting along much better. I just
finished re-potting about 66% of my collection and tossing plants that were
crap. There is now air space between plants on the benches and I hope the
mealies, and scale will diminish. Everything's putting out plump new
growths, and I even had time to fertilize the plants yesterday. Now if I
had time to make my house and yard not look quite so trailer park, I'd be
happier still. I have allowed yellow-jackets to nest in the eaves too long,
and fear they may have crawled inside the walls.

So.

Taking your eye off the ball can be detrimental to your, what? Life? Is
that overstated? Perhaps. But keeping one's priorities straight has been a
lesson 10 years in the learning, and I believe I've finally learned it.

Just say no,

K Barrett

Interesting discussion. I joined PSLOS several years back. The first meeting
I attended was so boring that I was looking for a way to leave early without
seeming insulting. I had no way to know the structure of the Society at that
time, but I later learned that the VP is in charge of doing, or arranging, a
30 minute clinic. Then would come a business meeting, a break, and the main
speaker, also the responsibility of the VP.

Well, the VP started her "Cattleya talk" by saying that "orchids sometimes
commit suicide", and I knew we were in trouble. The business meeting was
interminable, and issues were brought up that never ought to have reached
the general membership until time for a vote up or down, if then. I came
home and told Frank that it wasn't for me, that it was strictly a tea and
crumpets affair with nothing to offer except for the charter members who
liked to get together and schmooze once a month.

The following month, Frank had emergency heart surgery and the Society was
nowhere near the front burner. (BTW, I remember how kind so many of you were
during that difficult time. Yes, Kathy, the Gods were pleased with the
offerings!)

Months later, Frank suggested that I give a meeting another try. By then,
there was a new VP, and she was trying to liven up the meetings, with some
success. The new Pres had streamlined the business meeting down to under 15
minutes, and it seemed there was more energy, though still nothing
approaching what was needed. Someone asked me to do a presentation, and I
did it on S/H, with credit to Ray. This, after all, is right up my alley,
because I have spoken to groups for years and I love it.

They asked me to serve as VP (they had tried to get me to do 2nd VP the year
before, but I declined). I checked to make sure that I would have the
ability to set the agenda (yes), and that I could bring in the speakers of
my choice (yes, within budget constraints). This fall I will begin my
third - and final! - term as VP, and I made it my business to effect change
in the Society. It has worked, and it's been fun. The members enjoy coming
to meetings now, not just for the coffee break, but for the programs and the
laughs. Volunteership is way up, and visitors quickly become members and
stay members. For our AOS show, we have all the help we could ask for, and
it has become more sophisticated. We have a waiting list of vendors who want
to come. Even older members who felt that they had done enough are coming
to the fore when needed. I talked the Board into a big increase in funds for
programming, and I'm looking forward to some dynamite speakers this cycle.

I guess what I am trying to say is that if you want a society to work, if
you are not happy with it but would like to have a good society to go to,
then it takes a little effort. Right now, of our four closest societies, two
are dysfunctional, mainly because there's some sabotage going on. We and the
other healthy society have ignored the individual who is, for whatever
reason, trying to wreck things. I may need to take some action to stop her,
but if I do she'll never know what - or who - hit her. (Relax. I'm not
talking physical here!) Having said all this, I understand how Kathy feels.
There comes a time when it is someone else's turn, and that time is now
near. I am grooming people to take over for me. The new Pres is a fairly new
member, and so are the new 2nd VP, Treas, etc. I am extricating myself
because if I don't, the things I hold dear will go by the board. I will stay
a member, and the Society is vibrant and growing.

Whew. I guess I went on a bit, huh?

Diana

It's amazing how some experiences are so universal. A few years ago, I
quit one orchid society (about 200 members), on which I was on the BOD.
The president (who was retired and basically had no life) kept asking
me to do another big job, and another big job, and... When I finally
said that I really did have to work for a living and didn't have time
to fulfill his latest request, he was very nasty and snide to me, not
only in person but in public. At that point, I decided to leave the
society, much to everyone's surprise: "But you were so active!"

Once, while I was working many hours on a society show, I scoured the
ranks for volunteers to sit the Hospitality Booth. When I asked one
retired gentleman to sit the booth for 2 hours (a show which he
planned to attend), he replied, "Oh, my dear, I couldn't possibly do
THAT." Evidently, he considered booth work below his social station.
In fact, most of the people who said that they couldn't possibly lend a
hand for an hour or two did, in fact, visit the show.

So, now I am with another orchid society, but they have a similar
problem with a small number of people doing most of the work. It would
seem that if a person were going to join a group, he/she might be told
that there is an expectation to commit to X-hours of volunteer work so
that a small proportion of the people don't frazzle themselves doing
everything. Or maybe the new member might assume that there are some
responsibilities that go with membership. But I guess not. Sometimes I
am surprised that "the doers" don't leave "the slackers" and form their
own orchid society.

I think Diana's response was very on the beam. I agree
with all the replies that in any group there is a nucleus
of doers, and a majority of passive 'enjoyers'.

Having just been appointed to the nominating committee for
my society (and having served a 2-year term on the BOD,
and being librarian, and being webmaster), charged with
coming up with an 'official' slate of nominees for the next
board term [for the second time], I can speak to this issue
with some insight. Often it's not a matter of finding the
'dream team', but just a matter of enough warm bodies
willing to fill a seat.

Sometimes they are not the best people. Sometimes they
aren't the most conscientious, or have enough time,
commitment, or energy. But they said 'yes'.Reviling
them isn't the answer. As Diana noted, the answer is
to get off your butt and do something about it. I didn't
really have the time the first time I was asked, and
didn't really want to do it, but I figured it was my turn.
I had enjoyed the labors of others (meetings, shows,
picnics, programs, etc.) long enough;I thought it was
time to pay them back and let them enjoy for a change.
As one of my favorite writers, Robert Heinlein, often
noted, TANSTAAFL (pronounced just like it sounds):
There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. Somebody,
somewhere, sometime, had to pay for it or work for it.
Maybe sometime that's going to have to be YOU. Truly
'adult' people accept this.

My society is in the midst of a changing of the guard.
The older cadre of people who did it all for 20-30 years
have let the reins go; some have passed on, several
retired and moved away, some gave up growing with
advancing age or health problems. It's a tough time. I
think one of the critical things is trying to bring new
blood in on a regular basis to ensure a perennial supply
of experienced officers.

We have nearly eliminated the 'business' portion of our
meeting, and in response to the shift in membership from
experienced to new growers, have established a beginner's
workshop for the 1/2 hour prior to the general meeting. Our
VP/program chair started a before-meeting'dinner with the
speaker'function, and we have instituted other procedures
in an attempt to create more interest and involvement.

People still quit. People still join. You can't please
all the people all the time, but I have found that a
truly friendly society encourages growth and member
retention.

Why do I stay despite the fact that I often barely have
time to take care of my own plants or even tie my shoes?
The comaraderie. The chance to share my passion with
others who share it. And always hoping to learn more.
Good programming helps too.

And as for those too lazy or selfish to help out (over
the years, there has to be SOME way to work it in): I
have the same advice I give in election years: if you
don't participate, you have no right to grumble. And if
you want to quit, quit. We're better off without you.

Tennis

In our society there is also a small group of people doing most of the work
and a lot of mostly passive members (we've tended to stay around 130 total
members lately). We definitely don't want to just run off all the passive
members because then we'd lose a couple grand every year in dues and that
would greatly affect our ability to bring in speakers. We've had problems
filling some positions with people willing to do a good job, but that's
life. I stay in the society because I believe having a functional society
in my area is in my best interests. When I started growing orchids some
people in the society really helped me become interested and gain more
knowledge. I've met many nice people who share my interest through the
society, and made a few good friends. I've heard presentations and been
able to purchase plants from growers coming from all over the country (and
once from South America). Our show brings a lot of good vendors to town
every year. I haven't gotten burned out yet, but I'm sure I will at some
point. I'm currently the newsletter editor (1 1/2 years and counting, seems
like forever) and on the board of directors. I'll end up being VP sometime
in the next couple years. I'm also doing photography for the local AOS
judging center, and I will coordinate orchid entries for the Southeastern
Flower Show again next year.

Our society went through its changing of the guard back in the 90's long
before I was even growing orchids. Unfortunately a lot of the long-time
growers in Atlanta don't come to the society anymore. Some are heavily
involved in AOS (judges, trustees, committee members, etc.) and don't really
want to have any responsibilites in the local societies anymore. Others
just got tired of it. A handful go to a smaller society on the south side
of town. You can't please everyone. I think our society would be much more
educational if we could get some of the experienced growers to come back
occasionally. The best way to do that seems to be by bringing in good
speakers.

-danny