Members:

Here is the newsletter for May. Winter, winter, go away!! Only in Montana can you have 85 one day, then have snow flurries the next! Looks like the spring weather is gonna wait for a while. Everything is still turning green, though, and it’s still one of my favorite times of the year.

Pete Addeo, Webmaster
Missoula Iris Society
http://www.missoulairis.com

DATE & TIME: SATURDAY, MAY 2,  6:30 pm.

PLACE:   Home of Gary Clark. Call 728-7633 for further information.

PROGRAM:  Billie Gray is doing the program. No info as to what will be discussed.

"FYI" NEWS

CARD WORK PARTY:  Alverta says there will be another card work party on Wednesday, May 13^th at 6:30pm at Gary Clark’s home.

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

Happy day to Cleo Swanson – May 26^th, Honk Meyer – May 24th, and Pete Addeo – May 9th. Happy Birthday to all.

Treasurer’s Report:  Swede Gustafson, Treasurer. No report given at this time and no report in the newsletter.

Minutes:  April 4, 2009

The meeting was called to order by President Ron Dowell.  There were no minutes taken at the March meeting as it was a social gathering.  The treasurer’s report was given by Treasurer Swede Gustafson.  The checking account balance was $34.16.

Announcements and General Information

The May meeting is at Gary Clark’s.  Billie Gray is doing the program.

Elizabeth Friesz will host the June meeting.  Don’t miss this meeting.  Elizabeth’s iris will be glorious!  Carpools will be arranged.

It was announced that Claudia Brown was dropping her membership.

Members of MIS were invited to attend the annual meeting of Friends of the Fort. RSVP is required by Monday, April 6.  (728-34760). Dinner will be served at the meeting. The cost is $20.00.

Bob Brown announced that Homestead Day will be held on the fort grounds August 29 this year.

Some of the reticulata are blooming.

Old Business

Shed:  To date $905.62 has been spent on the shed.  $800.00 had been allotted to the building of the shed which leaves a line item deficit of $105.62.  Friends of the Fort has spent $3019.84 on the shed so far.  The question was raised as to whether we received the promised discount on the lumber purchased from Boyce Lumber.The shed still needs to be painted.  It will take two days.  Friends of the Fort is to buy the paint and MIS is to do the painting.

Fort Gardens:  The trees have been trimmed.  A work party has been tentatively set for Saturday April 18^th beginning at 1:00 p.m.  Bob Brown is to check the grounds use schedule and let the fort chair know if this date and time are a go.  Sussex   School students will again be helping in the gardens.  Projects to do include planting back the iris kept in pots in Billie Gray’s greenhouse over the winter, finishing up the Siberian bed, weeding, edging the beds, general cleanup, etc.  It was suggested that “No Dogs” signs be put up again at the beginning of the bloom season.  Billie reported that only two MIS iris stored in her greenhouse were lost over the winter.

New Business

Median Show:  The show is May 23, 2009, in Southgate Mall by the clock.  The theme is    “Colors in Nature.”  Set up for the show will be Friday evening, and cleanup will follow the show.  It was noted that the table runners needed to be cleaned and ironed.  Donna Dowell moved that the runners be washed and ironed.  Billie            seconded the motion; the motion passed.  It is expected that the Mall will supply 12 tables.  The Mall management will advertise at various spots around the mall.  MIS members are to put posters around town.  Pete Addeo will be asked to make the posters.  All MIS judges will judge this show.

Iris Show:  The Iris Show is June 13^th.  MIS judges will judge the show.  Clerks are needed.  Scott Burns-Drake and Jean Marcaraeg volunteered to serve as clerks.  More are needed.  Where to hold the after-show dinner was discussed.  Both the Joker’s Wild and the Montana Club on North Reserve were suggested.  The            Montana Club has eight entrees from which to choose.  No one knew how Joker’s Wild handled menu choices for a group.  The show chair would check into this.  The dinner would be scheduled for 5:00 or 5:30 p.m. The show teardown would begin at 8:00p.m.

Iris Sale:  A Show Chair is still needed.  The sale is the last Saturday in July (the 25^th).  Fred Frey’s committee will handle the sale advertising.  The iris for the sale will again be taken to Addeo’s during the week preceding the sale.  A volunteer is needed to do the “stone” soup.  A card file meeting will be held at Gary Clark’s          on Wednesday, April 4, 2009, at 6:30 p.m.  Cindy Davis and Alverta Symes will chair the card file meeting.

Program Committee:  The members were reminded that there was to be a program each     month following the business meeting.  Depending on members to volunteer      hasn’t worked so it was suggested that a program committee of three be formed.  No action was taken.

The Presidential Rhizome was won by Leona Wyckoff. The meeting was adjourned.

Respectively submitted,

Zona Lindemann, Secretary

Additional Notes on Doings at the Museum

Building T81 has been purchased from the Forest Service.  This was the Alien Retention Building during WWII.  Purchase price:  $41,000.00.  The building housing the stage coach now has doors. The staff is currently in the reaccredidation process.  Jane Richards retired December 31, 2008.  The new assistant is Jason Bain.