Memo #1 July 24, 2003

 

Hello Fellow Charter Members of the SOCAL Fun Gardening Club.

 

I wanted to give everyone a quick up-date on the progress of our new club. The response has been awesome!

 

Can you believe our club is just 2 weeks old and we already have - 29 members – Our own message board and home page - Two of our five counties have newsletter editors - We have some logo designs being worked up – Several plant exchanges being planned – Date of our 1st meeting.

 

Hopefully at our first meeting we will have some ideas to discuss of what we want for our club. Also anyone that has joined by October 19, 2003 would be considered charter members of our club at this time it does not mean anything more then you were here from the beginning and helped with setting up our club. All members will be given a membership card with your member name and member number, your member number will be the order that you signed up in.

 

Here are a few things to think about regarding our club.

 

We need some volunteers at both the club level and for each of the five branches. So we need to get some idea as to the involvement and the time members will have for our newly formed SOCALFUNG Club. I would guess it could easily take several hours of your time each month in club or branch activities depending on what you volunteer for so please keep that in mind.

 

Some examples of volunteers needed at the club level would be for: Club President, Vice President, Secretary, Events coordinator, and Newsletter Editor. We also need to decide on our club name currently we are going by The Southern California FUN Gardening Club or SOCALFUNG Club and our motto is ‘One that doesn't focus on roses or orchids or anything too scientific.’ All of this would be voted on by all of our members hopefully in September to be ready for our first meeting in October.

 

Some examples of volunteers needed at the branch level would be for: Branch Presidents, Vice Presidents, Secretaries, Events coordinator, and Newsletter Branch Editors. Also each branch will decide on their own name, motto and logo the individual branch members would vote on this on as each club decides.

 

This is what is currently available for use in the development and distribution of our newsletter.

 

1.    Use of the message board email ring for distribution to full membership only sorry

  1. Space at the website for current and past newsletters, including space for pictures used in the stories.
  2. Space at the message board for dialog to take place between the club’s editor and branch editors.

 

I also have some ideas regarding the newsletter I would like to share.

 

  1. Club editor would be voted on by full membership in September (details later) – this person could also be a branch editor but it is not required.
  2. Branch editors would only be voted on if there were more then one volunteer
  3. Quarterly Newsletter for the SOCAL Fun Gardening Club – this provides information several months out – with things submitted by each branch – sent to the full membership – the club and each branch would be limited to one page each total six pages.
  4. Monthly Newsletter for each branch  - done by their own editor – this provides information that is a bite more spontaneous in planning – geared to each branch – sent to the members of that branch, and made available for all club members.

 

I also have some ideas regarding the logo.

 

1.    Something acknowledging the 5 counties

  1. Something acknowledging our diverse growing zone – coastal, mountain and desert.
  2. Our logo would be on our Membership Cards and replace the Hummingbird background at the message board and be used at our website/homepage. And as Skrip, has mentioned this would also be used for the newsletter, stickers, t-shirts, whatever...

 

Listed below are some things that have already been suggested

 

Regarding meetings

  1. Quarterly Meeting - for The Southern California FUN Gardening Club – Maybe each quarter a different branch host the meeting by drawing names
  2. Branch meeting each is on their own

 

Activities are for all our members; sharing in hosting garden related events.

  1. Fun lunches 
  2. Visits to local nurseries (many offer different 1 day classes or special talks)
  3. Visits to local arboretums and gardens (just in our 5 counties we will be busy)
  4. Plant exchanges between all braches (watch for the dates to be announced) Late August in Buena Park – Orange County – Host Sanda, Late September in Fontana – Riverside County – Host Nina, Late October – Early November in Norco – Riverside County – Host Bill

 

New Club names and mottos

  1. The June Gloom Busters:  Motto -- "dammit, its summer!"
  2. The Dirty Fingernails:  Motto -- "let the starlets get manicures"
  3. Top o'the Heap:  Motto -- "if it doesn't move, compost it!"
  4. Hot Fun in the Summertime:  Motto -- "Can you dig it?"

 

 

We will also have a member directory for the club and each branch. This will be kept private.

 

Please email the information requested below to socalfungc@nicheofbliss.org

Your Name

Your address – at a minimum give Your City, Zip Code and County, but it would be useful to have your complete mailing address

Phone Number

Email Address

Your Club On-Line Name

 

 

Item of Interest:

 

         August – Plant exchange in Buena Park-host Sanda- watch for date

         September - We should be ready to Vote by email for Club name & logo and club newsletter editor – Plant exchange in Fontana – host Nina – watch for date

October – 1st meeting of the SOCAL Fun Gardening Club, Yorba Linda, CA – Plant exchange in Norco – host Bill

November – Plant exchange in Norco – host Bill (if not in Oct).

 

 

Remember the quicker we get the details out of the way the sooner we can get down to having some fun.  Thank you joining and we look forward to your ideas and discussion at the message boards.

 

Your suggestions and comments are always welcome

Board host- Mary

email socalfungc@nicheofbliss.org

 

revised 8/18/03