In the January 2009 issue of the Hosta-rific you read the history of the Midland Hosta Society through 1998. Now you will read what Pat Janecek had to say about the next few years.
The years have passed quickly for the Midland Hosta Society. In the Fall of 1998, an election was held and the 1999-2000 officers were elected as: Tom Mitchell President, Mary Moehring Vice President, Pat Janecek Secretary and Tom continued as Treasurer until later that year when Jan Norris volunteered. However Jan had to relocate to Canada and that was when Clarence Rauch volunteered to become Treasurer. Dave Hoff and Debbie Bockneck continued with the Cut Leaf Show, Auction and as Editors of the Newsletter. That year, the summer garden tour was to Pat Raeders, Bob Kuks and Gardenview Horticulture Center. Rudy Mantsch volunteered to be in charge of Guest Plant return and Mike James and Doug Fuhrmeyer would search out and buy the Guest Plants for the 1999 auction. The new Plant Sale was then held as a Fund Raiser and members could purchase new Hostas at affordable prices while the Club made a small amount for the Treasury. Dues which had started at $10.00 and were lowered to $5.00 were once again raised to $10.00 since the Officers felt that the Newsletter and Great Lakes dues should be covered by the dues. The 1999 Cut Leaf Show had 191 entries which were submitted by 13 members! A first bus trip was being planned for Gee Nursery in Michigan for summer of 2000.
Through the years, there are some main threads that each President and Officers tried to pursue. Many ideas were presented but in order to bring some of them to life, the Treasury needed to increase. Looking back, each President has the same ideals ake meetings interesting with speakers, hold a cut leaf show, have garden tours and members began to ask to have Membership Cards, By-Laws reviewed, Bus Trips, Plant Sales that were NOT fund raisers but a Plant Sale where members could buy new Hostas at almost wholesale prices, a MHS Scholarship, a MHS Display Garden, awards, Membership Rosters, and more food, beverages and paper goods paid for by the Treasury. A tall order from $10.00 dues! So, the auction took on a bigger importance. Raffles helped to defray expenses. Always was the idea to bring these ideas to life!
The seeds of ideas were planted but each President and Officers needed the fertilizer (MONEY) to undertake these projects! Also, Members wanted to show gratitude to those that helped us with places to have meetings and for their support. At the January 2000 meeting, Honorary Lifetime Memberships were given to Amber Nursery, Barrie Kridler, Bob Kuk, Barry Nichols, Van & Shirley Wade and Bill Zumbar. An endeavor to update the ByLaws was undertaken and an executive committee was formed of the current officers and volunteers, Barb Crook, Sharon Cowen and Linda Mitchell. During 2000, Pat Janecek acted as Historian and resolved to gather past Newsletters and all printed minutes. All minutes were then reprinted and made into a minute book. Sharon Cowen, Valerie Kilbane and Mary Moehring volunteered to acquire the Guest Plants and auction plants for the 2000 auction. In July, the first MHS Bus Trip was taken to Gee Nursery with Ruth Johnson making all the arrangements. After the 2000 Auction, ClarenceRauch reported a Net Worth of $4,460.05. We now had a good operating fund! The first meeting of 2001 began with discussions of more ideas and possibilities such as holding a Plant Swap at the Hosta Show, possible Silent Auctions and Raffles. Members were asked to donate items and Hostas for the Raffles. Officers remained the same in 2001 but Dee Burdette took over the Hosta Plant Sale and it was decided that Hostas would be offered at deep discounts to members and this would no longer need to be a fund raiser but a special Club offer. Ruth Johnson also researched to possibilities of T-Shirts with the MHS
Logo. In 2001, the AHS changed the name of the Cut Leaf Show to Hosta Show. In 2001, about 50 members of MHS attended the Great Lakes Hosta College! Debbie Bockneck continued to be the MHS representative to GLRS. Pat Janecek endeavored to continue the Hosta Show and fill Debbie Bocknecks shoes as Dave and Debbie had moved. At the 2001 auction, members returned Guest Plants, our honorary members donated and MHS bought plants for the auction PLUS many members generously donated hostas and plants from their own gardens. Dave Hoff suggested that Guest Plants be grown on for three years instead of the previous two years. Dave Hoff auctioned and income from the auction was $2,101.50, Guest Plant purchases were $985.75 making the auction income $1,115.75. Clarence Rauch kept meticulous records and printed year-end Financial Statements of the Treasury. The year ended with MHS Net Worth being $5,037.60. A bus trip to Canada was being planned by Mary Moehring and Officers and Board Members planned to meet during the late Fall to plan another great year for MHS! Members enjoyed another wonderful Pig Roast cooked by Chef, Tom Mitchell, and concluded another satisfactory year!
2002 began with our now popular winter Soup Lunch and Meeting and slide presentation by Bill Zumbar. Sharon Cowen volunteered to be the Great Lakes Representative and all other officers continued as the same. Norm Janecek designed a Membership Card which Treasurer Clarence could now send out to Members once dues were paid. The Hosta Show was held with 22 Exhibitors and 217 leaves and a Trough entered. A Plant Exchange was also held. In July, members filled the Bus for our 2nd annual Bus Trip to Niagara Falls to the Botanical Gardens and Butterfly conservatory, member Jan Norris garden and Ran Lydells garden in N. Y. Net income from the 2002 auction was $3, 978.19 and the Treasurys Net Worth became $8, 069.15. This was our most successful auction ever! Gary Bowers was auctioneer! The Board could now begin to plan to bring other membership ideas and requests to life! It was time for elections again and Dee Burdette and Ruth Johnson announced a slate of officers. Walt Betzold became the new President and all other officers and Board retained their office for another two years! And the Pig Roast just kept getting better! The first Member Service Awards were given to: Dee Burdette, Pat Janecek, Ruth Johnson and Clarence Rauch.
Last year [2003], we began with a New President and a larger Treasury. We were able to consider continuing the ideas and work of past presidents and board members and a Horticultural Student, Josh Calderone, from Kent State/Salem would be awarded a Scholarship in 2003. Judi Frost and Scott Barbour volunteered to seek out fantastic Guest Plants and Auction Plants. Barb Helaney volunteered to become our Fund Raising Chairman. The Display Garden would be started at Kent University in Salem, Ohio in conjunction with Dean Jeff Nolte and instructor Maurice Peoples. Our member growers and MHS members donated the Hostas, the Club purchased the mushroom compost and 158 Hostas were planted in September by about a dozen MHS Members on what we considered an Historic work day! Due to health, Tom stepped down as head cook but was present to train Chef, Ken Moehring, to cook the Pig to perfection and the year ended once again with satisfied MHS members! Also, the membership roster continued to grow to almost 120 members! The Treasury had increased also to $9,346.72 after another successful auction which netted $2,267.32
While not quite the happenings of the next five years as promised in the January newsletter the history of the Midland Hosta Society will continue in the next newsletter.