DRHS Director's Message Archive
Incoming director's message
(January 27, 2005) - Welcome to the Dixie Regional Hosta Society. Many of you might not even realize that you are a member of the Dixie society. If you are a member of the American Hosta Society (AHS) and live in one of the 10 states in the Dixie Region or if you belong to one of our local hosta societies, you are automatically one of approximately 920 DRHS members.
I am Mike Chambers, the new Director of Region 3. I want to express my sincere thanks to Claudia Walker for her continued assistance in helping me during my transition into the position. Please see Claudia's message as the outgoing Director after four great years. It has been sometime since the DRHS published a region wide newsletter, but we plan to provide you increased communications this year.
The DRHS has region wide membership meetings, normally held once a year, as scheduling permits. Recent meeting were held in Atlanta, Memphis, Nashville and last May in Clemson, SC. Our next meeting is scheduled for September 23-24, 2005 in Memphis.
Your Board of Directors consists of a Director, Secretary, Treasurer and Newsletter Editor, who currently live in the Memphis area during my term as Director. Additionally, we have a representation from each area of the region with a local society. Several prominent nationally recognized hosta and gardening experts, as well as our own past Dixie Directors, have agreed to serve as Advisors to the Board. And finally, each local society President is considered a member of the board and welcome at the annual board meeting. As you can see, by our geographical challenge, most of the board's administrative actions and communications take place via e-mail and we normally only see each other at the annual meeting and sometimes at the AHS annual convention.
OUR 2005 GOALS
The Board of Directors has established some goals for 2005 to provide communication and assistance to the region and to encourage growth and new ideas to the local societies. They include:
- Establish a a new Board of DIrectors by January 1, 2005.
- Conduct an entertaining and educational regional meeting for 200 attendees.
- Have a website for every local society linked to the Dixie Website.
- Publish a Dixie newsletter in January, May and October 2005.
- Update the DRHS Bylaws.
- Assist members in Little Rock to re-establish the Arkansas Society.
- Build a database and mailing list of all Dixie members.
If I can be of any help to any of you, please contact me at 3596 Gailyn Drive, Memphis, TN 38135, (901) 434-9562 or email: mschambers@fedex.com.
I'm looking forward to working with each and every one of you in promoting America's favorite perennial.
Mike Chambers