Club History 1998 – 2002
1998
The club’s fifth year, 1998, started with a social day at Trunketabella Gardens and in March a wonderful day at Bert and Carmel Ippoliti’s place at Tuross Head.
Alan Merriman conducted a workshop at the Brand’s place on the Easter weekend and there was a social day held with Sapphire Coast Orchid Club members at Foxglove Spires, Tilba Tilba.
A great day was had with John Apperley in Nowra; John conducted a workshop where 5 speakers gave demonstrations on the potting of different orchids.
The speakers for 1998 were John Apperley, Kevin Wilson, Norma Stafford, Allan Stephenson and Dawn Bickford.
Before another successful show the Club conducted displays at Narooma pool, Batemans Bay Plaza and Narooma Plaza.
Theo Schutz was presented with the Meritorious Service Award.
The Club held its 5th birthday celebrations with a dinner at Moruya Golf Club and on behalf of the Club, Allan Read and Alex Brand were asked to cut the birthday cake. During this year the Club gained another 16 new members.
At the fifth AGM the following were elected to the club committee.
President: Alex Brand
Vice President: Theo Schutz
Secretary: Shenah Gellibrand
Treasurer: John Gellibrand
Committee: Don Hayes, Margaret Hayes, Kay Brand, Jenny Schutz, Bert Ippoliti
1999
In 1999 the club was able to obtain two Meritorious Award Badges from the Orchid Society of NSW and they were presented to Shenah and John Gellibrand.
A club banner was purchased.
In March members attended the weekend workshop held by the Sapphire Coast Orchid Club where Ken Russell and Wally Rhodes were the speakers.
Social days included a trip to Brogo Dam with Sapphire Orchid Club and a sausage sizzle at Wagonga Inlet, Narooma with sausages handmade by Bert.
After the Club’s annual displays and Moruya Spring Show, members travelled to Wagga Wagga to the South and West Regional Orchid Show and Conference.
Five clubs displayed their orchids with the 2nd ribbon once again won by EOC.
Club members also gained 1st and 2nd on the bench.
Shirley Bedingfield and Theo & Jenny Schutz received HCC Awards for their masdevallias.
From the president’s report for this year (1999) it is noted Alex congratulated John and Robyn Mackay for their win in the spring show of Grand Champion and that Tom Kelly will never forget this year for after only growing orchids for two years, he won champion novice at just his his second show. Some achievement! It was reported that Tom never stopped smiling all day, not even when he was eating his lunch.
Alex went on to report that seeing that Margaret and Don Hayes had been very successful at the Bega and Merimbula shows, winning Champion Novice at both shows plus Champion Native and Champion Cattleya and overall point score, he welcomed them to the open section.
Congratulations also went to Tom and Edna Adams who received a cultural certificate for a very well grown Cattleya “Little Suzie Joy’.
This year drew to a close with the 6th AGM and the following were elected to the Management Committee.
President: Alex Brand
Vice President: Theo Schutz
Secretary: Shenah Gellibrand
Treasurer: John Gellibrand
Committee: Don Hayes, Margaret Hayes Jenny Schutz, Allan Read.
2000
The program for 2000 started on the 20th February with a social outing to the Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens at Deep Creek Dam. Ducan MacLennan wandered off with his bagpipes and could be heard through the bushes entertaining all within earshot.
Work towards the 2001 South & West Regional Show and Conference started for EOC is to be the host for this event.
John Gellibrand’s idea of “Orchid Odyssey- 2001” was selected as the theme name.
Bookings for the Batemans Bay High School auditorium and lecture room were made also a booking at the Catalina Country Club for the dinner on the Saturday night.
It was decided to adopt a letterhead comprising black printing on yellow paper for the Conference.
Don Hayes was asked to become the sponsor co-ordinator for Orchid Odyssey – 2001 and MC for this event. For his hard work he was awarded the Meritorious Award Badge.
New benching rules for cymbidium sizes were advised – 90mm & over, 60mm – 90mm, under 60mm, measured at the widest part of the flower.
Due to continued ill health Allan Read has resigned from the committee. Tom O’Connor agreed to fill the casual vacancy.
A new financial record was made with $744 coming from this year’s auction. Frank Hogan donated a child’s garden chair to be raffled and the proceeds to go the cost of staging Orchid Odyssey 2001. The raffle raised $171.50.
John Gellibrand had to chair the October meeting as Alex & Kay, Jenny & Theo, Don & Margaret and a number from Sapphire Coast Orchid Club were away at the orchid conference in Burnie, Tasmania.
Alex Brand presented his last president’s report at the 2000 AGM. After six years being president and having been involved in the affairs and running of the club since it was formed in 1993 he felt it was time for a change.
The club grew this year by 25 members with total membership of 78.
The following were elected to the management committee at the 7th AGM.
President: Theo Schutz
Vice President: Ron Boyd
Secretary: Shenah Gellibrand
Treasurer: John Gellibrand
Committee: Tom O’Connor, Don Hayes, Margaret Hayes, Jenny Schutz, Estelle Neilson
2001
The year 2001 became the year of ‘Orchid Odyssey’ and the club was truly on a trip or rather an orchid journey. Ideas for the club’s 2m² display were required. The display is judged as a whole and then the individual plants are judged in the appropriate classes of the open section. Plants surplus or not appropriate to the display are shown and judged on the benches as normal. Novice and junior exhibitors may show in the display but would have a better chance of success in the novice and junior sections.
Letters and visits were made to potential sponsors.
An Odyssey raffle was commenced with the major prize being one week accommodation at the Narooma Golf Club Resort.
It was decided that although the Orchid Odyssey is also a show, the club will hold its regular annual orchid show in Moruya in 2001. This was the beginning of the club having two shows a year.
John Tanner was the speaker for March and spoke on “How I got into Orchids’.
The annual club auction got underway with Don Hayes as auctioneer and a huge array of orchids, miscellaneous plants, some treasures and a deal of trash to go under the hammer. It was a long night but it raised no less than $949.
The club was once again able to obtain two Meritorious Service Award Badges and those were awarded to Margaret Hayes and Jenny Schutz in recognition of their services to the club.
Kevin Wilson travelled from Sydney to present an illustrated introduction to native dendrobiums at the April meeting.
Theo demonstrated deflasking methods at the May meeting.
In July, before this year’s winter show on 3rd & 4th August, Alex Brand discussed and demonstrated the art of preparing orchids for showing.
A social day was held at Shelly Beach, South Head, Moruya and then a committee and co-ordinators’ meeting was scheduled for 14th August.
Registration for ‘Odyssey’ started to be accepted and the members urged to order club shirts and wear them when on duty during the event and other Club functions.
Sponsorships were received from the following.
Major Sponsors: L J Hooker – Batemans Bay, Australian Pensioners Insurance Agency, Narooma Golf Club & Surfbeach Resort, Eurobodalla Coast Tourism,
Show Sponsors: Kalaru Orchids, Royale Orchids, John Apperley, A & K Brand, Rural Press, D & M Hayes, T & J Schutz, F & M Hogan, Bodalla Nursery, Bay Appliances, Camira Orchids, Batemans Bay Furniture, Hourglass Jewellers, Bloomin Things Nursery, A Schramm & I Scott, Ulladulla Orchid Nursery, B Aberneathy & D Hunt, Riverview Orchid Nursery, Batehaven Hardware & Garden Centre, Tom O’Connor in memory of Edith, Sapphire Coast Orchid Club, McDonalds – Batemans Bay
Letters were sent to secretaries…
The Shire President Chris Vardon was invited to open Orchid Odyssey and to attend the dinner. He gave a very informed opening address to the conference.
A list of staffing requirements was filled including those rostered to spend the night in the school auditorium as the school advised that numerous attempts of vandalism had occurred about the school.
The program for the dinner was completed with Don Hayes to act as MC.
At the Club’s October meeting Theo thanked all who had helped with the running of Orchid Odyssey. He reported that the President of the Orchid Society of NSW was most profuse in her praise for the organisation of the show and conference and was very appreciative of the hospitality shown to her and the other visitors. Details of a financial success of ‘Odyssey 2001’ were shown in the treasurer’s report being that the club is now better of by $5700.The champions of the show :
At the Club’s 8th AGM realizing that Alex and Kay Brand were moving to Victoria, new representatives to attend meetings of the South and West Region Committee were required. The meeting agreed that the club should always be represented by the club president and one other member selected at the time by the president.
A farewell dinner for Alex and Kay Brand was arranged to be held at the Bodalla Bowling Club on Wednesday 21 November 2001.
The Christmas party, December meeting and annual break-up was held at Tom & Elaine Kelly’s place on Sunday 9th December.
Ian Scott, acting as the returning officer, conducted the election and advised that written nominations had been received. He declared them elected to the management committee
President: Theo Schutz
Vice President: Ron Boyd
Treasurer: John Gellibrand
Committee: Tom O’Connor, Don Hayes, Margaret Hayes, Jenny Schutz, Bob Aberneathy.
As there were no nominations for the position of Secretary and no volunteers ( notwithstanding the provisions of the Club’s constitution) it was proposed that John Gellibrand be appointed Secretary/Treasurer and Bob Aberneathy as Minute Secretary. The motion was carried unanimously. Estelle Neilsen was elected to the remaining position.
2002
A new format was accepted for activities in 2002; it incorporates a total year’s program of events, the President and Committee’s contact details, meeting times etc.
In February 2002 Ron Boyd resigned as Vice President and Bob Aberneathy also tended his resignation as he was moving from the area.
Don Hayes was nominated as Vice President and Ann Schramm and Shenah Gellibrand filled the 2 vacant committee positions, Shenah to take up the position as soon as she feels fit enough.
The visiting speaker for the February meeting was Garrie Bromley. He spoke on the benched plants and then gave a slide show on orchids in Hawaii.
Once again the club auction was held in March and then a workshop was held on the 17th March at Nigel & Estelle Neilson’s place at Congo.Phil Grech gave an informative illustrated talk on Australian native dendrobiums at the April meeting and John Tanner was warmly congratulated on becoming a fully qualified orchid judge.
The rest of 2002 continued as per the program with the display at Narooma pool, a visit to ‘Orchidfest’ at Peats Ridge, the winter and spring shows and the now annual sarc. challenge with Sapphire Coast Orchid Club at Brogo dam.
The 9th AGM was held on the 13 November 2002 and to quote form the President’s report
“In my view the most important event of the year was the award of Life Membership to Alex and Kay Brand. They were foundation members of the Club and spent some years as President and Show Marshal respectively – by their hard work and easy style of leadership they inspired all of us to build a Club for all levels of grower and where every member felt welcome. We were very sorry to see them depart to Victoria and it took some organising to get them back to a meeting without letting the cat out of the bag. The presentation of their Life Member’s badges was the most rewarding task I have ever had to perform as a member of any club – I can think of no two people more deserving of this award.”
The success of Orchid Odyssey 2001 inspired us to decide to hold two shows again in 2002; a Winter Show in Moruya and a Spring Show in Batemans Bay. The Winter Show was not very successful financially but we had 160 plants on the benches and once again the CWA Hall looked a picture. There was insufficient publicity given to this Show and I must take some of the blame for this. The Spring Show at Batemans Bay, on the other hand, was well publicised beforehand thanks to the efforts of Ian Scott and we had as many visitors as we could cope with, many of whom spent money as though every day was pay day. The Community Centre proved to be an ideal venue with excellent facilities and enough room to accommodate the 250 orchids benched (180 in the Open section and 70 in the Novice) plus the very busy sales section.”
The following were elected to the Management Committee.
President: Theo Schutz
Vice President: Don Hayes
Secretary: Sylvia Hawkins
Treasurer: Ann Schramm
Committee members: Ian Scott, Estelle Neilson, Tom O’Connor, Margaret Hayes, Jenny Schutz