I had so hoped that by now we would be getting ready for a busy year for the Gainesville Rose Society. It makes me very sad that Florida and much of the country is in almost the same situation we were in last spring in regard to Coronavirus infections. We planned to open our year with a picnic at Rose Petals Nursery which Art and Cyd Wade graciously agreed to host, and were looking forward to a great October Deep South District meeting.
However, those plans are on hold. The Board, with advice from District Director Cindy Dale, has decided that it is not yet safe for us to hold the district convention or meet as a group. Not only would rosarians worry about risking their health and the health of their families, the logistics of safely holding events is overwhelming. The Board will keep monitoring the situation and hope we can “bud anew” in December or January.
Many thanks to chairmen Ralph and Jean Stream, especially, Missy Burton, and others who have been planning the convention and our meeting schedule. Their work now will make the next convention and future meeting programs easier to implement.
On a brighter note, congratulations to Ann Sherwood. Two of her first-place arrangement photos from the American Rose Society digital photo contest are in the latest issue of American Rose. That serves as a reminder to start sending in your photos for this year’s Deep South District and ARS contests. The DSD needs more participation, but not all at the last minute! See the DSD Summer bulletin, page 11. Thanks to Willie Mae Burley for locating it. You may have to hunt in your emails from betsobon@gmail.com or streamj@gmail.com. When I checked, it was not yet posted on the district web site.
I miss you all.
“I don’t know whether nice people tend to grow roses or growing roses makes people nice.” ~ Roland A. Browne
Yours in Roses,
Jean Giesel, President
