President’s Letter for November 2023
Naperville Free Speech Event
On Sunday, October 22nd, a group of us assembled at the pavilion across from the library on the Naperville Riverwalk. We set up tables to display trees, while others set up on the picnic tables to work on trees they brought along. This was the date of the Naperville half marathon in the downtown area, so we set up after the race around noon until about 5 PM.
We had many people strolling by as the day was very pleasant. Many stopped to marvel at the trees, and some were clearly intrigued. Several gave us their names, email addresses, and telephone numbers to explore the possibility of becoming club members. Those individuals will be included in our mailings for the next few months, and hopefully, some will attend our November meeting and beyond.Â
In addition, we had a brochure with basic information about the society, including membership and meeting information. This was based upon a suggestion made by P.K. at our October General Membership meeting. We distributed at least two dozen of these brochures to people who expressed some interest in the club and hope a few of them will also decide to join.
Congratulations to Katlin Mulligan for suggesting and organizing this first attempt at a recruitment event. We will watch for additional opportunities to reach out to potential members via community events.
November General Membership Meeting
We have an interesting and informative meeting scheduled for November. Linda Camp of BC Bonsai will be making a hands-on presentation about wiring. Larry Magee will present pictures and comments about his trip to Japan earlier this year.Â
Unfortunately, I will be unable to join you this month. My father passed away a few days ago, and his services are on November 1st. In accordance with the By-Laws, Larry Magee, our Programs Director, will chair the meeting. I have especially been looking forward to hearing the stories about Larry’s trip to Japan, but I will need to settle for seeing the slide show after I return.
Christmas Party
As always, we will hold our annual Christmas Party as our December meeting this year on December 6th. It will include our long tradition of the White Elephant exchange, which now we have confirmed dates back at least 30 years (see Bonsai Prairie Roots). Larry Magee is uniquely qualified to tell you about the plans for the party as the Board has decided to move the venue from our usual COD meeting room to Larry’s house. We all hope to see you there!
2024 Election
As many of you know, the terms of the current PSBS officers are ending in March 2024. The March meeting will include an election of officers to move the society ahead from March 2024 to March 2026. I have been fortunate to have a dedicated Board with many new ideas and willing to spend some of their time to make the club better for everyone. The challenge of the past two years has been to re-establish some momentum for the group after the disruption caused by the pandemic. We now especially hope to have new members join the Board who want to help grow the club and have fun doing it.
In accordance with the By-Laws, I have appointed a Nominating Committee consisting of Jim Beck, chairperson, with members Badar Zulqarni, Char Field, and me to find candidates for all positions in the March election.Â
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If you are interested in learning more and may be willing to volunteer some of your time to improve the club, please talk to any committee members or any other current Board members.
The Hidden Gardens
We just received word that The Hidden Gardens, run by Jeff Schulz, is closing the garden center portion of the business on November 10th. The bonsai section of the facility will continue in operation. Many PSBS members have obtained training and trees at The Hidden Gardens over the years. For some time, our Grow Plot was located there. It is happy news that the bonsai section at The Hidden Gardens will continue to serve as one of our resources.
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I will miss you all at the meeting on November 1st,
Craig
