AIS President’s Message JODY NOLIN, OHIO
In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan;
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Iris are all sleeping,
Safely down below.
Jody Nolin
, neil d. houghton
It is early winter as I write this. Seed catalogues
crowd the mailbox here in the Northern
Hemisphere. Our Southern Hemisphere iris friends
are enjoying their bloom season and posting lots of
great pictures. I’m planning all the changes I need
to make in my garden, some of which may actually
happen. Most are just pipe dreams.
I’m also thinking about all the activity that will go
on behind the scenes for AIS. Twenty-nineteen will
be a busy year as we gear up for the 2020 centennial
celebration. We have groups working on our
members-only special publications, the centennial
convention, membership development, revisions
to the judges’ handbook, a new website, and lots
more. These initiatives all have action plans, so they
will not be just pipe dreams. You can expect to see
something new announced in each issue of IRISES. If
you have an interest in any of these projects, please
let us know by contacting any of the directors. We
can steer you to the right people.
Your help is also needed for the special
publications. Can you contribute an article about
your iris history, hybridizing or club? You may see
yourself published in the bulletin or the special
publications. Pretty exciting, isn’t it? You could be a
published author!
Another thing I’m excited about is getting out
to meet you. I hope to visit all the regions over
the next three years. I’ve warned my husband that
I’ll be on the road a lot. I love irises, yes, but even
more than that, I love iris people. They are down-toearth,
caring, and generous to a fault.
I couldn’t think of a better group of
folks to spend the next twenty years
with. So don’t be surprised to see me
in the audience at one of your regional
meetings.
FLASH NEWS
Because of some complications in
her personal life, Kathleen Sonntag
has resigned as managing editor of the
AIS 2020 Celebration supplements to
the AIS Bulletin. The AIS executive officers asked
Jim Morris to take the position. IMPORTANT: All
previous article commitments by AIS members or
affiliates/sections should now be directed to Jim’s
attention at morrisje1@aol.com or (636) 256-3927.
BYLAWS BALLOTS
In this issue you will find a very important
responsibility that you as a member have: voting on
proposed bylaw changes. The proposed changes
are the result of an exhaustive three-year process
of review and approval undertaken by the board of
directors. The goal was to bring the bylaws up to
date with communication technology, clarify some
confusing language, and streamline the bylaws. The
wording you see in red has been approved by the
board—now it needs your approval.
Please take some time to review the proposed
changes and vote on the ballot provided. Ballots
must be postmarked by March 15 to be valid. All
members, including youth and e-members, have a
vote. The results of the voting will be announced in
an upcoming issue. Let your voice be heard!
Thanks and happy gardening!
d
8 AIS Bulletin Winter 2019