As the daylight begins to return to our shady corner of the continental United States, there is yet time to reflect and learn from the past year. Letting these reflections frame our goals, hopes and plans for the coming year provides a boost and an opportunity to adjust the rudder of our club’s direction.
2018 was a good year in many ways for the Cascade Cactus and Succulent Society. We have had an infusion of energy, new ideas and skill sets into our club in the past year and it has allowed us to “make things happen”! To reflect on our successes, there being no failures, is to feel like we are vibrant, growing and changing.
Our gains this past year:
- New T-shirt design with online ordering
- Field trip organized by a small committee of members, not the program chair
- New e-newsletter editor stepping up
- Name tag coordinator stepping up
- Official Instagram post person
- Our new website up and running
- Guest blogger preparing a piece on photography for this website
- Our annual plant sale – biggest sale yet with more vendors, new vendors, and greatest sales total.
And probably more that I haven’t even registered. The point is, that leadership isn’t just at the administrative level, but many of our members are embracing their responsibility to keep the club running well and sharing the load. The highlight of the December meeting was when two new members were quietly but vehemently discussing which one of them should be secretary for the coming year! How many times have we needed a fill in secretary for one meeting and when asked who would fill that role there was only the “sound of silence”.
So we are off and rolling with exactly 73 members paid in full and a full program for the year. We are looking forward to our programs, our continued involvement with the Volunteer Park Conservatory, and visiting member collections whenever possible. Should we be in the same situation we are in now when 2020 rolls around, it would be excellent.