orchid society AOS affiliation survey

[tenman]

In the wake of changing times (changing roster of orchid growers), the declining enrollment of the AOS (down by a third)and the show season upon us, a question has arisen and responses to the following from any with information would be helpful:

Are there societies who put on non-AOS sponsored shows as their main annual or biennial show and if so, how large are the shows (# of vendors and exhibitors (including AOS-affiliated society exhibits, non-AOS affiliated society exhibits, vendor exhibits, individual exhibits)?

Are there un-AOS affiliated societies and how are they doing? Do they put on similar large, successful shows?

Is there a place for independent societies?

Are there alternative options for affiliation not limited to a particular region or orchid group?

[jankey]

we just started a club at the local public garden; we are not affiliated and have no immediate plans to affiliate; we've been getting about 20 ppl per meeting lately, with a hundred or so on our email list. we held a little informational show in february, which

*we* enjoyed, if nothing else; but we're not even a year old yet so we haven't done anything big and fancy.

i can see us putting on a big show someday, but i'm not sure that we'd want to; NCOS and MOS are the local affiliates and they do the big shindigs. we're more laid back. :) (although i think our president has visions of pulling off a WOC-sized affair one day... ;)

--j_a