Members:

Here is the February newsletter. Just a friendly reminder to all that the Membership Dues are due now. This meeting will be the last meeting to pay your dues for 2007. Those who do not pay their dues will not get a newsletter or membership list until they are paid. You have until the end of February to pay your dues. Thanks

 
Pete Addeo,

Webmaster
Missoula Iris Society
http://www.missoulairis.com

DATE & TIME: Sat, February 3rd at 6:30 p.m. Potluck dinner
PLACE:   Home of Pete & Carolyn Addeo in Linda Vista. Call 251-5833 for directions.

AGENDA:  Pass the 2007 budget, Open meeting for member input on likes, dislikes, preferences, future programs.
 

"FYI" NEWS:

Dues of $9.00 per person are due now for 2007.  The new treasurer is Pete Addeo.  You can pay at the meeting, or mail your check payable to Missoula Iris Society to Pete at 5805 Helena Dr, Missoula, MT 59803.

It's Their Birthday!!....Let's Give 'Em a Cheer!!!

Happy day to Brenda Meador, February 25th; Alayne Hilditch, February 27th; Rod Crawford, February 25th; Lynn Weger, February 24th; & Judy Hoar, February 11th. Have a happy birthday all! 

The New 2007 Calendars are here. Payment of $6 is due and you can pick-up at the February meeting from Elinor.

Meeting Locations for 2007: The following meeting locations are in process. We need some volunteers to host a meeting as shown. Call Carol Addeo at 251-5833 if you would like to host a meeting at your home or be a host for a meeting at another member’s home: These locations and dates are also listed on our website.

January 27 - Judges Training at home of Gary Clark, 1:00pm. Open to all members

February 3 - Meeting and pot luck dinner at home of Pete & Carolyn Addeo, 6:30pm

March 3 - Meeting and pot luck dinner hosted by Cindy Davis at the home of Gary Clark, 6:30pm

April 14 - Meeting and pot luck dinner at home of Honk Meyer, 6:30pm

May 5 - Meeting and pot luck dinner at home of Pete & Carol Addeo, 6:30pm

June 2 - Meeting and pot luck dinner at home of Bob & Alverta Symes in Bonner, 6:30pm

July 14 - Meeting and pot luck dinner at home of Alayne Hildritch in Grant Creek, 6:30pm

August - No Meeting

September 8 - Meeting and pot luck dinner at home of Gary Clark in Target Range, 6:30pm

October - Need meeting location

November - Need meeting location

December 2 - (Sunday) Annual Christmas Party. Location needed.

Meeting Programs:

We would like to get some input at this meeting as to what type of programs you would like to have for this years meetings. We want to set up an agenda for each meeting for the rest of this year as to what programs and/or subject matter you would like to have after the meeting. Some suggestions for meetings could be: Creating a backyard wildlife habitat or attracting birds to your backyard; Creating a backyard pond; Slide show from AIS; Slide game show from AIS; Designing arrangements; Preparing iris for display at the show; Preparing iris for the sale; Iris cultivation, dividing, fertilizing; Raised bed gardening; Starting vegetable seeds indoors; Greenhouse growing; Rose cultivation/choices of cultivars; History of Missoula Iris Society; Growing and use of  herbs; Combination plantings. The list is forever, so let’s get some interesting meetings in order for the year and we can all vote and discuss them at the next meeting.

Elinor has announced the following chairpersons:
   Median Show - Gary Clark
   Standard Show - Jim Sadler
   Historian - Donna Dowell
   Iris Sale - Ron Dowell
   Programs and Publicity - Fred Frey
   Newsletter - Pete and Carolyn Addeo
   Sunshine/Hospitality – Volunteer Needed

Treasurer's Report from Pete Addeo: This is the same report as in December. We do have membership dues and calendar sales that were deposited as shown below. These were the only changes to the club accounts.

SAVINGS ACOUNT:
        Club Savings Account CD                         
                Balance December 31                   $3253.45

                                        Total                    $3253.45

        Club Savings Account                             
                Balance December 31                   $6584.40

                        Account Summary:
                               Club Operations             $2024.78
                               Judges Fund                     375.43
                               Memorial Fund                  301.92
                               Building Fund                    865.47
                               2006 Rhizome Sale         3001.00
                               2006 Interest Income           15.80
                                  Total balance              $6584.40

CHECKING ACCOUNT:
         December 31 Balance                           $ 556.24
                     January 2007 deposits                   

                          Calendar Sales                        78.00

                          Membership Dues                  231.00
                                   Total Deposits               309.00
                          Total Balance                       $865.24

MISSOULA IRIS SOCIETY TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR 2007

PUBLIC ACTIVITIES
   Median show                              $300
   Iris Show                                    $400
   Special Guest Judge                  $725
   Tour 2008                                   $100
   Rhizome Sale                             $600

Fort Gardens
   Maintenance                              $850
   Renovations/repairs                 $1,100
   Shed building fund                      $857
   EDUCATION
   Newsletter                                 $400
   Programs                                     50
  
CLUB OPERATIONS
   Sunshine                                   $200
   Filing Fee                                      15
   Friends of Fort                             100
   Presidential Rhizomes                  300
   Region RVP Donation                    50
   Membership information             $100
   Miscellaneous                                8
   Card File Maintenance                  50
   Historian/photographer                100
       Tentative Budget             $6,305

Last years expenses:            $5,788.67

MINUTES – JANUARY 6, 2007

The meeting was called to order by President, Elinor Utech.  The minutes of the November meeting were accepted as printed in the newsletter.

Swede Gustafson turned over the books to our new treasurer, Pete Addeo.  It was noted that Swede had served as treasurer for 14 years.  Originally the position was presented as a task that would only take about two hours a month.  But as Swede found out and the rest of us came to appreciate, this was a job that took several hours a month!  Swede did the job responsibly and cheerfully for all those years.  We owe him many thanks for taking care of our finances so well.

In addition to the hours spent on treasury duties, Swede also volunteered hours of time at the fort gardens – another reason we say, “Thank you, Swede, for all your years of dedicated hard work!”

Swede reported that we began the year with $10,074 and ended the year with $10,352.  This sum will be the amount available for our 2007 working budget.  The CD has gained approximately $2,000 since it was taken out.

Thanks were offered to all of our 2006 officers for their time and efforts.  Special  thanks went to Betty Ann for all her help to Swede and the hours she has put in as a volunteer.  Special thanks were also expressed to Carol for her years of keeping the society’s minutes and helping Pete with the newsletter.

Reports and announcements were made.

Median Show:  Gary Clark will chair this show again. He asked for volunteers. The show is scheduled for Saturday, May 19 at Southgate Mall.

Iris Show:  Jim Sadler, chair, said the schedule is complete. The theme is Earth, Wind, and Fire. He will be contacting people for help.

Sale:  Ron Dowell offered to be chair if he could get advice and help from past chairs. Help was promised.

Fort Gardens:  Suggestions on what else we need or might want to do in the gardens were solicited. It was suggested that these be written and given to Billie. Bob Brown extended his thanks on behalf of The Museum at Fort Missoula for all the work the society has done in the gardens.  He said that more and more weddings are being booked for the garden and gazebo area because of the better upkeep and the new trellises.

Floral Design and History Workshop:  Gary Clark is offering this workshop for judges and any other members who want to learn about what judges are looking for in a floral design. The session can be taken for credit at a cost of $5.00.  The workshop will be held Saturday, January 27, 2007, at Gary’s home, 2275 Sunlite Lane.

Flowers have been sent to Donna Bowers.  She has been diagnosed with cancer.  Lynn Weger’s mother died recently.  Lynn has suggested that the society add iris books to the iris library in her mother’s name.

Programs:  Arrangements are being made to bring in slide shows from AIS and from AIS Sections.

It was announced that the new convention center on No. Reserve St. has a room that can be rented for $15 for the first hour and $10 for each following hour.  A large TV is available for presentations.  This was an option offered as a possible solution if the number of people at our monthly meetings got too big to be held in our homes.

The new RVP is from Idaho. The January AIS Bulletin should have her email address.

Members were strongly encouraged to invite our new members to meetings and activities.  It was felt that there needed to be a more friendly touch; the newsletter was helpful but impersonal.

2007 DUES ARE DUE!

Respectfully submitted,

Webmaster