________________________________________________________________________1

Affiliated withThe African Violet Society of America, Inc.

www.avsa.org

The Violet ConnectionOfficial Publication of the Ohio State African Violet Society

! Volume 62, Issue 1 December 2013

Mel Grice, editor2019 Crosswind Court, Englewood, OH 45322melsgrice@earthlink.net

Ohio State African Violet Society

www.osavs.org

________________________________________________________________________2Affiliated with the

African Violet Society of America, Inc.______________________________

AVSA MEMBERSHIP: Send check payable to AVSA for new or renewal membership to AVSA office, 2375 North Street, Beaumont, TX 77702. 409-839-4725

Individual: USA $30; Canada $35, International $40.Associate: (no magazine): USA $15; Canada $17.50; International $20.Commercial: USA $60; Canada $65; International $70.Life: USA $1,000; International $1,500.Affiliates: Chapter, Council, State or Region: USA $35; Canada $40; International $45.Remit in U.S. Dollars with draft or check on a USA Bank. MaterCard/VISA accepted.____________________________________

Master Variety List: Number 12 describes all varieties to March 2012 for $30.00. MVL Supplements: Download from AVSA website, or order from AVSA office for $1.00.The First Class program is also available for $27.50 and updates are $11. The Entries Program is $27.50 (and includes First Class).

Growers & Judges Handbook (2007) $20.

Booster Fund: Send contributions to Shirley Berger, 2822 S. Mainsail Dr., Avon Park, FL 33825-6032.

Boyce Edens Research Fund: Send contributions to Marlene Buck, 17235 N. 106th Ave., Sun City, AZ 85373-1958.

Building Maintenance Fund: Send contributions to Susan Hapner, 36 Ridge Point Dr., Chesterfield, MO 63017.

Anne & Frank Tinari Endowment Fund: send contributions to Janet Riemer, 256 Pennington-Harbourton Rd., Pennington, NJ 08534.

CONTENTSCopy Deadlines! ! ! ! ! 3

Officers & Committees! ! ! ! 3

Presidentʼs Message! ! ! ! 4! by Julie Jones!Grooming as You Grow, ! ! ! ! 5From Birth to Show! by Pat Hancock! ! !

Parts of a Flower by Ernie Stall! ! 7

Show News by Lori Hilfer! ! ! ! 9

Thelma Miller & Roberta Williams! ! ! 10

Convention Chatter! ! ! ! ! 11! by Penny Wichman

2013 OSAVS Show Photos! ! ! 12

Judges Council Reminder ! ! ! 16

Judges Council Meeting Minutes! ! ! 16

OSAVS General Meeting Minutes!! ! 17

Special Vote to Change OSAVS Bylaws! ! 18

OSAVS Constitution and Bylaws! ! ! 19

Historian's Corner by Al Cenci! ! ! 22

2013 Show Awards by Karen Cenci! ! 24

Meeting Calendar! ! ! ! ! 29

From the Editor! ! ! ! ! 29

Membership Application! ! ! ! 30

________________________________________________________________________3OHIO STATE AFRICAN VIOLET SOCIETY

OFFICERSJulie Jones, President ! ! (614)-399-01363750 Ridge Mill DriveHilliard, OH 4306843026Juliej195@aol.comAl Cenci, Vice President! ! (513)-831-36926070 Bridgehaven Dr.Milford, OH 45150acenci@cinci.rr.comDebbie McInnis, Secretary ! (812)-923-06533620 Eagles TraceFloyd's Knob, IN 47119dkmcinnis@twc.comPenny Wichman, Treasurer! (859)-689-55704807 Pete's LanePetersburg, KY 41080pennypwic@aol.comLinda Riddle, Membership Secretary3106 Hyde Park Ct.!! ! (614)-876-4264Hilliard, OH 43026lindyriddle@hotmail.com

DirectorsPat Berilla (term expires 2014)10499 Stuart Dr.! ! ! (440)-352-7837Concord Twp., OH 44077xmberilx@hotmail.comLynn Walden (term expires 2014)3539 Madison Park Pl.! ! (513)-533-3055Cincinnati, OH 45209l.walden@zoomtown.comJanice Beaty (term expires 2015)900 Kenwyn Ct.! (614)-457-1640Columbus, OH 43220janne900@aol.comKathleen Cahall (term expires 2015)400 South Main St.! ! ! (937)-378-3031Georgetown, OH 45121cahallk@frontier.com

StaffMel Grice, Editor! ! ! (937)-836-92372019 Crosswind Court! ! (937)-654-7014Englewood, OH 45322melsgrice@earthlink.netNancy Carr, Advertising Editor !(614)-864-8130afvioletfan@insight.rr.com

CommitteesAudit..............................Susan Allison, Janice BeatyHistorian..........................................Al CenciNominating......................................Nancy CarrParliamentarian...............................Linda Owens

2014 State Convention Committees

Auctions....................Donna Vogelpohl, Mary MartinBanquet Favors...........................…Parmatown AVSCommercial Chairman....................Nancy CarrConvention Chairman.....................Penny WichmanConvention Co-Chairman...............Karen CenciFriday Night Party.........……Mac Morabito, Al Cenci Hospitality.........……………………..Cincinnati AVSInformation......................................Sandy McIntoshProgram Chairman..........................Kathleen CahallPublication…………...Pat Gibson, Penny Wichman, ! ! ! ! ! Martha BellRegistration.....................................Penny Wichman

2014 State Show Committees

Awards Chairman.....................………..Karen Cenci! ! ! ! ! ! Al CenciEducation Exhibit.........…………….....Donna TurnerEntries……………….Karyn Cichocki, Susan Allison, ! ! ! ! ! Rick PogozelskiClassification………….........Mary Martin, Paul Kroll, ! ! ! Pat Hancock, Penny WichmanJudges Chairman......................…..Penny WichmanPlacement.............……....Bill Farrand, Karen Cenci,! ! ! ! ! ! Al CenciPublicity (Southern Ohio)……………...….Susan JoyPublicity (Northern Ohio)……………..………....openSchedule Chairman....................………….Mel GriceShow Chairman.........................…………..Lori HilferShow Co-Chairman.................….Gertrude MorabitoShow Room Hospitality.........………...………....openStaging/Properties......Lori Hilfer, Gertrude Morabito! ! ! Julie Jones, Debbie McInnis

The Violet Connection is published quarterly [in March, June, September and December] and mailed to all current members of OSAVS. Deadline dates for Copy are: January 25th, April 25th, July 25th and October 25th.

________________________________________________________________________4President’s Message

December is upon us!  It is hard to believe that holiday preparations will be in full force when you read this because I am writing it on a perfect October afternoon.  Sitting at the picnic table, I can see past the cornfield to the tree line which displays every fall color.  How quickly Indian summer comes and goes.

At the start of the fall season, we enjoyed the beauty of Kingwood Center during our recent show.  The grounds were pristine, and despite the start of cooler nights, the summer flowers were stunning.   Also stunning was our show!  One third of our membership exhibited their best violets, gesneriads, and designs.  The quality of the entries was outstanding.

We have many “experts” among us:  growers who are willing to share their knowledge, and encourage others.  Doris Brownlie comes to mind.  Having served as Judges Chairman for OSAVS, she is now stepping down.  What a pleasure it has been to see her in action.  Thank you, Doris, for your efforts and education of the judges who participate.

Also an expert, Thelma Miller served as Show Chairman for many years. She only recently stepped down as health issues began to arise. We are saddened by her passing at the end of October. Her husband Ed is appreciative of all OSAVS members who called, visited, or sent cards to Thelma. She will be missed.

Did you look closely at the stage at Kingwood to see the award winning violets?  Debbie McInnis had nearly a clean sweep!  Her violets were competing with each other to win.  It was a wonderful display from a grower who clearly has the right touch. Also of note was an entry by Jeremy Keene who won the best novice award.  Please welcome Jeremy to OSAVS.

We were honored to have AVSA President John Carter, and his wife, Judy, join us at Kingwood.  Their travel from Oklahoma included a traffic mishap which resulted in both a delay and a different car.  We were all thankful for their safe arrival.

One of the highlights of convention is attending the workshops.  Pat Gibson secured three very good speakers.  Pat Hancock taught us how to identify the pattern of three leaves on an African violet, and how to apply that knowledge when grooming.  Rob Robinson gave new meaning the use of tweezers as a repotting tool.  Mark Occhionero introduced us to the science of gardening and how we can make a few changes to optimize the culture of our plants.

The executive committee met while at Kingwood.  The membership charged the committee with defining commercial membership.  After much consideration, it was determined that the definition used by AVSA was descriptive of our vision.   Please read the proposed change to the bylaws definition of a commercial grower, and send in your email vote.

As we move quickly through December, remember to ‘throw some water’ on your plants.  During busy times around the holidays, that is all they get from me!  But they seem to do fine until January when I start repotting.

The beginning of the year is a good time to scrutinize your collection for upcoming spring shows, including the AVSA convention in Nashville.  Check the AVSA website in January for convention details.  I hope to see you there.

Julie

________________________________________________________________________5Grooming as You Grow, From Birth to Show

Pat HancockAVSA judges are told to "look for beauty, not flaws." However, when we point score plants, we are doing the exact opposite. We are starting with each plant scoring 100 points and deducting points for the flaws that we see. Having fewer flaws begins when the plant is very young and continues right up until show time. Perfection requires constant everyday care.

The most common flaw that points are taken off for is small leaves under large leaves. We take off up to one point per leaf. On a large standard plant, this can be ten or more points when a whole row of leaves is smaller. However, if you wait until show time to remove these leaves, you will leave an exposed neck. For an exposed neck, up to three points will be deducted.

It is far better to begin removing small leaves when the plant is very small. Removing small, unnecessary leaves early on gives more growth to the crown and plants will grow faster and larger.

Every two or three months, you should remove the three smallest leaves. Leaves grow from the crown in sets of three and should always be removed as a set of three. Plants should also be mold potted every three or four months.

If you, for some reason, neglect to fertilize a plant for a week or two — the result will be a row of smaller leaves. These leaves can also be removed and the plant will fill in. Do not fool yourself that these smaller leaves will ultimately grow larger if you start to fertilize again. They will not.

Points are also lost for space between the leaves. Part of this problem is in the choice of plants to grow for show. There are some plants that will never have show foliage, no matter what you do. Years ago, I tried to make show plants by using skewers to move leaves around and try to cover spaces. It helped somewhat, but not enough. Try to choose varieties that have good natural symmetry and save yourself a lot of trouble. Spaces are not just around the outer edge of the plant. When you look down at a plant from the top, you should not see the soil in the pot. Leaves should "shingle" as a roof so that each leaf lies between the two leaves on the row before. Judges deduct up to three points for each space between leaves.

Be very cautious if you decide to foliar feed or spray your plants. Spray residue can be extremely hard to remove and spots on leaves will cost up to one point each. Always use very hot water when spraying. It will lose heat as it goes through the air. Do not place plants back under the lights when wet. Spots may usually be removed with one part white vinegar to three parts warm water. Use a soft sponge to apply and rinse with plain warm water.

People who seriously grow for show keep their plants disbudded at all times until about two months before the show. There are several reasons for this, but the most important one is that a bloom stalk coming up may not be between two leaves. If you are unaware that it is there, it can distort the spot where the leaf should be and the leaf may become twisted or just in the wrong place. Allowing leaves to grow in the proper space unmolested is very important to the final shape of the plant.

________________________________________________________________________6Another reason for disbudding is that plants that have been disbudded for a long time really want to bloom. They will give a bigger head of bloom if the timing is right. Timing of bloom is very dependent upon your growing conditions, the type of bloom, and the amount of darkness and light.

Growing conditions have to do with how warm or cold the area is and the amount of humidity. Plants grown cool will take longer to come into bloom than plants grown warm. Blooms on plants grown in high humidity will open more quickly than blooms grown in dryer conditions. Lowering light hours will slow down bloom and lengthening light hours will speed up the bloom. Another reason for disbudding is to discourage thrips. Thrips distort blooms and spread disease. Thrips are attracted to plants that are in bloom.

Some people who are very serious about showing their plants also do something called "disblooming." "Disblooming" is removing the first large bloom on each stem. This tends to cause the rest of the blooms to open together rather one after the other. Try it on only a few of your plants to see if you like it.

Another question facing those who grow for show is whether to use rings to support the leaves of the plant or not. I have found people who feel strongly both ways. Some feel that leaves grow stronger petioles if not supported and some feel they need the supports. Try a few plants each way and decide for yourself.

Thus far, I have only mentioned the things that you need to do for the entire life of the plant. There are also things you can only do on the day of the show.

1. Check for suckers — you should have been removing these all along, but do a last minute check to be sure. A plant with a true sucker (four leaves) will be removed from the show.

2. Use a soft complexion brush and brush from the center to the outer row. Support each leaf as you brush. Dirt on leaves will take off up to one point for each instance.

3. The very last thing you will need to do is check to see that all blooms are fresh and that they are the right color. Remove any that are spent and and that are not blooming correctly. Each spent or wrong hue bloom will take off one half point.

If you have successfully done all of this for six to twelve months, you should be very proud of the plants you have grown and they should do well in the show.

Buckeye Too MuchDebbie McInnis

Buckeye DelightfulDebbie McInnis

________________________________________________________________________7Parts of a Flower by Ernie Stall

When I was in college, I received a minor in horticulture. Part of obtaining that degree involved learning the technical names of plant parts. Recently I was reading an article about hybridizing African violets, and the author was explaining how to transfer pollen from the male parts of the flower to the female parts of the flower. Of course, the author was using the appropriate terminology to refer to the flower parts, but it made me realize that while I recognize most of the terms, I have forgotten what they refer to. So, I decided to refamiliarise myself with the terms, and I thought I would share what I learned with you.

The following picture illustrates the parts of a typical flower:

A flower contains all of the plant's reproductive organs.

The peduncle is the main flower stem. It grows out of the crown of the violet and supports the blooms.

A pedicel is another type of flower stem. It is a secondary stem which grows from the peduncle and supports a single bloom. Multiple pedicels grow from a peduncle.

The receptacle is the swollen tip of the pedicel that supports the flower.

The sepals are typically green and are modified leaves that cover and protect the flower bud before it opens. They grow from the receptacle and also support the flower. Collectively, the sepals form the calyx.

________________________________________________________________________8The petals are the colored portions of the African violet flower. Petals are sometimes referred to as lobes. Collectively, the petals are called the corolla. Single blooms are comprised of five petals. Double blooms have additional petals inside the outer petals.

The perianth is made up of the calyx and the corolla.

The pistil is the female structure of the bloom. The pistil contains the female reproductive organs of the flower which are the stigma, the style, the ovary, and the ovule.

The stigma is the sticky tip of the pistil that receives pollen to fertilize the flower.

The style is the long, thin, filamentous tube that connects the stigma to the ovary. It is through the style that the pollen fertilizes the ovule inside the ovary.

The ovary is the structure that contains the ovules. The ovary is more or less a protective chamber for the ovules.

The ovule contains the female reproductive cells which, when pollinated, develop into a seed.

The stamen is the male reproductive structure of a bloom. It is made up of a filament and an anther.

The filament is the stem, or stalk, of the stamen and supports the anther. The filament also carries nutrients to the anther.

The anther is the part of the stamen that produces pollen.

Pollen contains the male DNA of the plant. It is usually yellow or greenish-yellow in color and is produced by the anther. When it lands on the stigma, the pollen produces a tube that travels down through the style to the ovary.

Reprinted from African Violet Notes, the newsletter of the Columbus African Violet Society, Volume 15, Issue 10, October 2013, Ernie Stall, editor.

________________________________________________________________________9Show News — Violets Catching Beatlemania

Hi All!I want to thank each and everyone of you for your help to make the 2013 Ohio State African Violet Society "Violets Catching Beatlemania" show a great success.  It was a beautiful show with 33 exhibitors, 222 horticultural exhibits, 33 designs and 1 special award.  And how special was our Educational Exhibit created by Donna Turner.  It is definitely worthy of being on display at the national convention and show!  With the help of all, our show earned the Standard Show Achievement Award with a score of 99.03.  Next year our show will be Thursday, September 18 through Saturday, September 20, 2014.  The theme for 2014 will be "Intoxicating Violets."  So start working now...

Our show was near perfect and the only item I could think that would have made it better would have been the presence of Thelma Miller.  Thelma couldn't make it to Mansfield and sadly passed away on October 31 but I am sure she will be watching our future shows from the African violet heaven in the sky.  Thelma was a very special individual, who dedicated many years as chairman for OSAVS and inspired those around her — that is how I became her co-chairman.  She will be missed very much but never forgotten.

In order to maintain the high standards set by Thelma, please consider volunteering for the open positions of Publicity (Northern Ohio) or Show Room Hospitality.  Please contact me at rahilfer@roadrunner.com if you can help.

And on a sad note, Martha Bell of the OSAVS and Parmatown African Violet Club had a stroke and has sustained some vision problems.  Please keep Martha in your thoughts and prayers for her recovery.  Get well wishes can be sent to her home at 5974 Boston Rd, Valley City, OH 44280. 

May your holidays be filled with happiness and joy!

Fondly,Lori HilferShow Chairman

Here's the link to the OSAVS Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/164934370308219/requests/#!/groups/505585756191506/ By it being a group, it won't go away every year after the show is over as the event pages always have.  We have show photos there, membership application and a list of the new officers.  Members can post any club news they like — non-members are welcome, too.  Once you have details of the next show I'll add that, too.

Jana StrathmannUnderwater design Paul Kroll

________________________________________________________________________10The Columbus African Violet Society suffered a great loss when two long-time members passed away on October 31, 2013.

Thelma Miller was a zealous supporter of Columbus African Violet Society, Ohio State African Violet Society and The African Violet Society of America. At one time or another, Thelma chaired most of our local club committees and was president of CAVS in 1988-89 and 1999-2000. She was show chair for the OSAVS for many years and also served as president of that organization. She was an honorary member of both CAVS and OSAVS. Thelma was a perfectionist and everyone who knew her was aware that she would accept only the best from her co-workers.

AVSA benefitted greatly from Thelma’s work ethic. She served as show chair for the AVSA convention in 1992 and again in 2005. For six additional years, Thelma worked tirelessly for AVSA, handling the tee-shirt order and Ways and Means table at the yearly conventions.

In 2013, Thelma was awarded the Continuing Service Award as an acknowledgement of her dedication to AVSA.

Roberta Williams was a member of CAVS for over thirty years and past member of OSAVS and AVSA. She headed the telephone committee for Columbus for a long time and put in many hours working Ways and Means at the local show. She was known for growing beautiful episcias. Roberta was an honorary member of our Columbus club and loved her African violets.

Episcia 'Karlyn'Pat Berilla

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Penny

Convention ChatterAnother wonderful convention in the books. What a fantastic show. Even our AVSA President was impressed with the “quality” of our exhibits. Congratulations to everyone who brought plants to show. Even if you did not win a special award, you helped contribute to the success of our event!

We once again had a very well stocked hospitality room. Thanks to everyone who brought food or drinks to share. Our pizza and chicken party was very well attended, and our presentations were informative and fun. We had a commercial sales room full of first class vendors, and we truly thank them for taking the time to come to our event.

Our auctions were a great success. We made $1143 on our live auction and $220 on our silent auction. Next year we will have only the silent auction. Please be thinking about something that you could contribute, so that you will be ready when Donna and Mary ask you for a donation. This will be our only money maker for the year, so it is important for it to be a success.

The only snag was running out of veggies and chicken at our dinner. I apologize to those who were last to go through the line. Apparently the caterer has a new kitchen manager, and they got things a little confused. Not only did they forget to make our veggie tray and forget to send our dinner rolls, they also sent our trays of California Blend Vegetables and herb crusted chicken to the wrong event. The trays that we got were for a much smaller group. We were very well compensated for their mistake and it will be reflected in the price of next year’s dinner.

Speaking of next year, our committees are busy planning for another great convention. Keep those show plants growing and check out the next issue of the Violet Connection for more details.

________________________________________________________________________122013 Ohio State AVS Show Photos

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Jolly Sizzler Debbie McInnis

Buckeye Cherry ToppingDebbie McInnisBest in Show

Rob's BoolarooCathy Willis Aeschynanthus lobbianus variegated

Ralph Robinson

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Jersey Snow FlakesDebbie McInnis

Jolly FrillsPat Berilla

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Judges CouncilReminder — Judges Council will meet on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at the MCL Cafeteria in Westerville, OH.

The address for MCL Cafeteria is 60 Westerville Square, Westerville, OH 43081 and phone number is 614-818-1700.

The topic is judging collections. See you there!

Ohio State Judges CouncilAugust 27, 2013 Meeting

MCL Cafeteria, Westerville, Ohio Lunch/Meeting

The Semiannual meeting of the African Violet Judges Council of Ohio was called to order by President Mel Grice at 12:00 p.m. Members present were: Janice Beaty, Martha Bell, Nancy Carr, Al Cenci, Karen Cenci, Pat Gibson, Mel Grice, Pat Hancock, Lori Hilfer, Linda Riddle, Donna Turner, Steve Turner, Donna Vogelpohl and Cathy Willis.

There was a motion made by Steve Turner and seconded by Nancy Carr that the minutes from the April 2, 2013 meeting would not be read. The minutes were approved as written and published in the June 2013 issue of The Violet Collection. There was no correspondence. Old Business:

None New Business:

There was a motion by Steve Turner and seconded by Lori Hilfer that our next meeting date of the Judges Council of Ohio will be April 1, 2014 at MCL Cafeteria, Westerville, Ohio at 11:00 a.m. for lunch, meeting following. 2013 OSAVS show — Lori Hilfer — We will provide our clerks for the show, so if anyone wants to clerk, let Lori know. She passed out a signup sheet for judges for the show and will pass that on to Doris Brownlie. Karen reported on the awards that will be given out at this show. Judges Changes — Pat Hancock reported that the Judges and Show Committee have talked about changing the dimensions of a Standard Violet in order to be judged in a show. Announcements — Upcoming shows include North Coast Gesneriad Show April 12th and 13th, 2014, Columbus AVS Show April 26th and 27th, 2014 and Cincinnati AVS Show May 3rd and 4th, 2014.

Spring program - Judging collections.Meeting adjourned.

Today’s program - Judging gesneriads. Members will bring gesneriads and attendees will be divided into groups and point score the plants. Then discussion of the scoring will follow.

________________________________________________________________________17OSAVS  General  Mee-ngQuality  Inn  &  SuitesSeptember  20,  2013

The  mee&ng  was  called  to  order  by  President  Nancy  Carr  at  6:04  p.m.  with  a  call  for  the  Officer’s  Reports:  There  was  a  mo&on  to  dispense  with  the  secretary’s  reading  of  the  2012  minutes.  It  was  seconded  and  so  passed.The  treasurer’s  report  of  September  14,  2012  through  September  20,  2013  was  read  by  Sandy  McIntosh.  The  balance  on  hand  is  $8246.18.    A  copy  of  the  report  is  aKached  to  these  minutes.  The  report  was  filed  for  audit.  CommiEee  Reports:    

1. Conven-on:    Penny  Wichman  reported  58  members  registered  for  the  conven&on,  55  for  the  dinner,  which  is  an  increase  of  seven  more  than  last  year.  

2. Show:    Lori  Hilfer  reported  that  our  2013  Show  has  222  hor&culture  exhibits,  33  design  exhibits  and  one  special  exhibit.  A  total  of  256  exhibits,  with  33  exhibitors.  The  2014  Ohio  State  Show  Theme  will  be  “Intoxica-ng  Violets."

3. Awards:    Karen  Cenci  reported  that  this  year  there  was  $1770  available  in  the  awards  fund  with  124  cash  awards.

4. Commercial:    Nancy  Carr  reported  that  the  Show  had  ten  vendors  this  year  in  the  sales  room.5. Membership:    Donna  Vogelpohl  reported  that  we  currently  have  99  members.6. Editor:    Mel  Grice  asked  for  members  to  please  write  ar&cles  7. Audit:    Janice  Beaty  reported  that  she  and  Cathy  Willis  audited  the  treasurer’s  books  and  found  them  to  

be  in  excellent  order.8. Judges:    Doris  Brownlie  reported  that  the  show  was  judged  in  record  &me  with  18  judges  divided  into  6  

teams.  9. Nomina&ng:    Lori  Hilfer  reported  the  slate  of  officers  for  2014  are  as  follows:

President  –  Julie  JonesVice  President  -­‐  Al  CenciSecretary  -­‐  Debbie  McInnisTreasurer  –  Penny  WichmanMembership  Secretary  –  Linda  RiddleDirector  –  Term  through  2014  –  Pat  BerillaDirector  –  Term  through  2014  –Lynn  WaldenDirector  –  Term  through  2015  –  Janice  BeatyDirector  –  Term  through  2015  –  Kathleen  Cahall

There  were  no  nomina&ons  from  the  floor.    The  slate  of  officers  was  elected  unanimously.Unfinished  Business:

a. Annual  dona&ons  to  AVSA  funds  approved  recommenda&ons  passed  by  the  Execu&ve  Board:i.        Send  a  dona&on  to  the  AVSA  Booster  Fund  in  the  amount  of  $100.00.ii.      Send  a  dona&on  to  the  AVSA  Building  Maintenance  Fund  in  the  amount  of  $100.00.iii.    Send  a  dona&on  to  the  Tinari  Endowment  fund:  memorials  for  BeKy  Bartley  and  Charles              Applegate  in  the  amount  of  $50.00  each.iv.    Honorarium  for  the  Editor  of  Violet  Connec+on  in  the  amount  of  $400.00.v.      Send  an  AVSA  2014  Conven&on  Show  dona&on  of  $100.00  designated  to  Amateur  Hor&-­‐              culture  to  be  used  as  needed.  

All  recommenda&ons  were  passed  by  the  membership.b. Ohio  State  AVSA  Website:

Sandy  McIntosh  volunteered  to  get  the  Ohio  State  Website  up  and  running.  It  is  now  opera&ng  at  www.  osavs.org.  Sandy  will  maintain  the  site  and  has  asked  anyone  who  would  like  to  help  with  the  website  to  contact  her.

________________________________________________________________________18New  Business:

a.From  the  Execu-ve  Board  mee-ng:i. Raise  the  registra&on  fee  $3.00  to  keep  Linden  Road  gate  open  for  the  exhibitors  in  addi&on  to  on  

Thursday  and  Saturday.  Vendors  are  paying  an  increased  table  fee  to  keep  the  Linden  Road  gate  open  those  days.

ii. Have  Silent  Auc&on  annually  with  verbal  auc&on  every  other  year  to  raise  funds  to  cover  room  rental  at  Kingwood  for  commercial  sales

iii.Update  and  modify  the  defini&on  of  a  commercial  member  in  the  bylaws:  Ar&cle  1,  sec&on  2,  #3.b.The  dates  for  next  year’s  conven&on  and  Show:  September  18,  19,  20,  2014.c. By-­‐Laws:  Linda  Neumann  reminded  the  members  that  Ohio  State  AV  Society  has  Bylaws  to  help  run  the  

society  efficiently,  and  wants  the  membership  to  please  read,  follow  and  become  familiar  with  the  By-­‐laws  that  are  published  in  the  Violet  Connec+on  every  other  year.  In  par&cular  there  should  be  three  members  to  form  a  commiKee.  

 Announcements,  Correspondence:1.  Nancy  Carr  wished  to  thank  Ralph  Robinson  of  The  Violet  Barn  for  his  par&cipa&on  in  the  television  

program  —  Kingwood  Talks  Plants.2. Brenda  Petry  of  the  Violet  Gallery,  thanked  OSAVS  for  the  easy  access  to  the  Show  Room  with  the  

opening  of  the  Linden  Road  gate.3. Lori  Hilfer  asked  for  volunteers  to  help  with  the  educa&on  display  and  publicity  for  the  2014  

Conven&on  and  Show.4. Donna  Vogelpohl  asked  if  there  would  be  an  interest  (outside  of  OSAVS)  to  rent  a  bus  to  travel  to  the  

Nashville  2014  Na&onal  Conven&on  and  show.With  no  addi&onal  business,  the  Officers  and  Directors  for  2014  were  installed  by  Nancy  Carr  and  the  mee&ng  adjourned.Respecjully  submiKed  by:

Debbie  McInnisOSAVS  Secretary

Addi&onal  Announcements:1. Awards  Banquet  Announcements

a. Donna  and  Steve  Turner  were  the  Violet  Connec+on  first  place  winners  for  their  ar&cle.b. Pat  Hancock  was  the  Violet  Connec+on  second  place  winner  for  her  ar&cle.c. The  Violet  Barn  offered  the  Project  Plant  —  RS  Mavka  for  the2014  show.

SPECIAL VOTE TO AMEND THE BYLAWS

Article 1, section 2, #3 to amend and strike any person who sells African violets and supplies for their livelihood and change it to say any AVSA commercial member.

IN FAVOR of the amendment __________

AGAINST the amendment__________

Send your vote to:  Mel Grice melsgrice@earthlink.net or " " " 2019 Crosswind Court" " " Englewood, OH 45322Votes must be received by JANUARY 31, 2014 to be counted.  Results to be published in the March issue of The Violet Connection.

________________________________________________________________________19Ohio State African Violet Society Constitution & BylawsAmended September 17, 201027Constitution — Article I – Name Section 1 – The name of this organization shall be The Ohio State African Violet Society.Article II – ObjectSection 1 – The object of this Society is to promote, encourage and foster the development and improvement of the Saintpaulia and public interest therein, by all suitable and appropriate means; to promote a spirit of cooperation among members; and to furnish and recommend a list of qualified judges.Section 2 – This Society exists as a non-profit organization. Article III – MembershipSection 1 – Membership consists of five classes: Individual, Honorary Life, Family (Husband and Wife), Affiliated Club, and Commercial.Article IV – Officers Section 1 – The officers of this Society are President, Vice President, Secretary, Membership Secretary and Treasurer. Four Directors and Immediate Past President, together with the Parliamentarian (appointed by the President) and appointed chairman of the following committees – Awards, Editor, Advertising, Convention and Show – constitute the Executive Board.Section 2 – The Officers and Directors are to be elected at each annual meeting and continue in office until their successors are elected and qualified.Section 3 – Should any vacancy occur in the elective offices, the President with the approval of the Executive Board, has the power to fill the vacancy.Section 4 – The term of office is one year. No member shall hold the same office for more than two consecutive years with the exception of Treasurer and Membership Secretary who may be elected annually to serve for four terms.Article V – Annual Meeting Section 1 – The annual meeting shall be held in the fall. In case this is prevented by unusual circumstances, it may be held as soon thereafter as possible. Section 2 – At the annual meeting, the Officers and Directors shall be elected after the Nominating Committee has reported. A plurality vote is required. In the event that there is but one candidate for each office, the Secretary may be instructed to cast the unanimous vote of those present for the slate of officers. Should there be more than one candidate for any office, the vote shall be by ballot. Officers shall take office at the close of the last session of the meeting at which they were elected.Article VI – Amendment Section 1 – This Constitution may be amended at any meeting by a two-thirds vote of those voting, provided the notice of the proposed amendment is contained in the notice of the meeting. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing.

Bylaws Article I – Membership Section 1 – Any person or group interested in the growing of African violets is eligible for membership. Membership shall be by written application, accompanied by the payment of one year’s dues.Section 2 – Membership shall be divided into the following classes: Individual, Family (Husband and Wife), Commercial, Affiliated Club, and Honorary Life.1 Individual Membership – Any person interested in growing African violets.2 Family Membership – A husband and wife, both of whom shall have voice and vote, but will receive only one copy of The Violet Connection.3 Commercial Membership – Any person who sells African violets and/or growing supplies for their livelihood. They will be permitted to purchase a table to sell same at the annual convention without donating 10% of their sales to the OSAVS treasury.4 Affiliated Club Membership – A group of individuals interested in growing African violets and who have formed an association.5 Honorary Life Membership – shall be given to a member of the Society for outstanding services. They shall have all privileges of membership but shall be exempt from future payment of dues.Section 3 – The yearly dues shall be individual $10.00, Family $15.00, Commercial $20.00, Affiliated Club $10.00, and Honorary Life (no dues). The dues for Canadian members will be an additional $5.00 and for other countries an additional $10.00 above the yearly dues rate IF the members do NOT receive their magazine via email because of increased postage rates.Article II – Meetings Section 1 – The Annual meeting of the Society shall be in the fall at such time and place as is decided upon by the Executive Board. Section 2 – The business and fiscal year of the Society shall be twelve months from the fall meeting. Section 3 – Special meetings of the Society may be called by the Executive Board or upon request, in writing, of thirteen members. Section 4 – 50% of the paid up, registered convention attendees constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business. Section 5 – The Executive Board may meet at any time on call of the President or one-third of the members of the Executive Board. Those calling the meeting at least 30 days in advance of the date shall send notice of such meetings. The regular meeting of the Executive Board shall be just prior to the annual meeting of the Society.Article III – The Violet Connection Section 1 – The Violet Connection shall be the official publication of the Society. It shall be published in December, March, June and September and mailed to all paid up members of the Society. The President with the approval of the Executive Board appoints the Editor. A membership roster shall be printed each year in the March issue of The Violet Connection.

________________________________________________________________________20Article IV – Officers Section 1 – The President’s duties are to preside at all meetings of the Society and Executive Board, to perform such duties as are incidental to the office, to appoint all standing and special committees and to fill vacancies (subject to approval by the Executive Board).Section 2 – The Vice President’s duties are to aid the President and in case of the absence or disability of the President assume and perform the duties of the President.Section 3 – The Secretary’s duties are to keep a record of the proceedings of all meetings, to conduct the correspondence of the Society, and to notify committees who are appointed at the annual meeting of their appointment and duties.Section 4 – The Membership Secretary’s duties are to keep an accurate record of the membership of the Society. All dues are sent to her and upon receipt she issues a dues card.Section 5 – The Treasurer holds the funds of the Society deposited and pays them out, not in excess of the funds on hand. The Treasurer makes a report annually, submits her books for audit at the annual meeting and at any other time when requested to do so by the Executive Board. The Treasurer furnishes to the President a certification signature, so that, in the event of the inability of the Treasurer to perform the treasurer’s duties, said repository will honor all deposits and withdrawals made under the President’s signature until the Treasurer is again able to perform her duties, or is replaced. The Treasurer obtains the Past President’s pin, as necessary, and the vendor’s permit for the annual convention/sale.Section 6 – The Immediate past President installs the incoming President. If unavailable, the incoming President chooses her installing Officer.Section 7 – The Directors serve as liaison to the membership of the Society and helps to promote interest in the Society. They keep the Executive Board informed on all matters relating to the best interests of the Society and convey to the members all information relating to its administration.Section 8 – The Society shall not be liable for any private debt incurred by Officers and Directors.Article V – Committees Section 1 – The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, appoints and announces all committees. If the committees are appointed after the annual meeting, notice of such appointments is to be included in the next issue of The Violet Connection. Standing committees appointed by the President are Audit, Awards, Convention Chairman, Show Chairman, Editor, Historian, Nominating and Parliamentarian. Special committees may be appointed as the need arises.Section 2 – The audit committee of two members audit the books of the Treasurer at the close of each fiscal year and at any other time deemed necessary by the Executive Board.Section 3 – The Awards Chairman is responsible for the purchase and upkeep of the ribbon supply for both the regular classes and the Ohio State class. A list of awards for the annual show is submitted to the Editor for publication in the June issue of The Violet Connection. The Awards Chairman keeps an accurate record of ribbons, used and unused. All unused ribbons are to be in the possession of the new Awards Chairman within 15 days after the close of a show. No date or city is to be printed on the ribbons. Cost of the ribbons is to be paid by the Society. The Awards Chairman deposits the Special Awards fund in a bank of her choice, with a co-signer. The Awards Chairman sends a list of show winners to AVSA and The Violet Connection as soon as possible after the show. Section 4 – The Convention Chairman appoints the following committee chairmen: Program, Commercial, Ways and Means and Member Plant Sales Chairman. The Convention Chairman appoints a committee to be in charge of the informal Friday night party. Upon her appointment, the Convention Chairman receives an advance payment of $50.00 for initial convention expenses, this amount to be returned to the Society out of convention receipts. After all business is settled the Convention Chairman prepares a financial statement in detail and submits copies to the President, the Treasurer and the following years’ Convention Chairman. The Convention Chairman serves as Registrar for the convention.Section 5 – The Show Chairman appoints the following committee Chairmen: Schedule, Staging, Entries, Classification, Education, Judges, Placement Aids, Hospitality, and Publicity.Section 6 –The Editor has the responsibility for editing The Violet Connection. The Editor assembles a competent staff to issue an educational and informative publication. The staff shall include an Associate Editor, Contributing Editors and Advertising Editor. Annually the Editor receives an advance payment of $300.00 to cover postage and incidental expenses. The Editor also prepares and issues all publications which the Board may authorize and prints the Constitution and By-laws every other year.Section 7 – The Historian keeps a scrapbook containing printed publicity and pictures of activities of the Society and its Affiliated members and clubs.Section 8 – The Nominating Committee consists of three members, one shall be the immediate Past President who shall serve as Chairman. They serve for one year. They submit their report for publication in the September issue of The Violet Connection and present it at the annual business meeting where all elections are held.Article VI – Expenditures Section 1 - The Treasurer without specific approval of the Executive Board shall pay section 3 – fixed expenditures of the Society. Section 2 – All other expenses must be presented to the Executive Board for payment at its annual meeting. Section 3 – Fixed expenses are cost of printing The Violet Connection, cost of ribbons, advance to the Membership Secretary for postage and incidentals $60.00, advance to the Treasurer $10.00, and advance to the Convention Chairman $50.00, the cost of using the convention facility. The Executive Board shall have the authority to change these amounts should conditions warrant.Article VII – Ways and Means Section 1 – No member shall be allowed to sell his or her own plants in the sales room.Article VIII – Amendments Section 1 – These Bylaws may be amended at any meeting by a two-thirds vote of those voting, provided the notice of the proposed amendment is contained in the notice of the meeting. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing.Article IX – Parliamentary Procedure Section 1 – Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall govern the proceedings of the Society so far as it shall apply and if not in conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws.

________________________________________________________________________21

Top Garden Products8600 East Ave.  Suite C

Mentor, Ohio 44060 440-290-8773

www.topgardenproducts.comWe are an Indoor Garden Shop and

Organic Nutrient SpecialistWe sell African Violet and Gesneriad Supplies.  We carry a wide variety of

lighting, soil, nutrients and hard to find supplies for all of your favorite plants.

Stop in to see displays of our prize winning plants.

Mark Occhionero (Owner)

F Bwww.fancy-bloomers.com

3644 Reading Ave.Hammonton, NJ 08037

609-431-6982

Episcia 'Pink Smoke'Cathy Willis Gesneria cuneifolia

Jeremy Keene

Penny LaneKaryn Cichocki

________________________________________________________________________22Historian's CornerI hope that everyone has enjoyed the reading of the minutes from the Organizational Meeting and the 1st Annual Convention of the Ohio State African Violet Society from October 1954 and October 1955.

In 1996, the OSAVS Historians, Marian and George Covel, compiled and edited an incredible document named "Presidential Historiography." In this document Marian and George wrote and published short biographies of all of the Presidents of the Ohio State African Violet Society from 1954 thru 1996. With a stroke of luck, this document was included in the packet of documents I received upon being named as the OSAVS Historian. With you indulgence, I present the Foreword and "Our Ohio State African Violet Society Presidents" preamble written by Marian and George Covel.

FOREWORD

"It is axiomatic that our present circumstances result in large measure as a consequence of past endeavors. Taken a step further our future can be anticipated to reflect a combination of past and present efforts. In this vein we see an appraisal of past experience as "keystone" to any program planning under consideration; and basic to this thinking is a file record of historic activity. We face the future more confidently with the benefit of past experience.

With regard for the foregoing we are currently attempting to compose a historical account of the members who have so enthusiastically promoted our OSAVS mission by serving as President in addition to their many other association activities. Our Society is a mere forty-two years old as of this date; but already we find some early events clouded in hazy obscurity due to inadequate record keeping. This situation points up the fact that "word of mouth" is too fragile a means of history recording. Time is so relentless in its erosion of memories. People leave the arena, recollections fade; and a lot of desirable information is lost to posterity. Oh, call back yesterday, bid time return. It is to be hoped that, in addition to provide a record of much desired information for future use, this work will inspire our Society Historians in years to come to keep better records than we have in the past.

An undertaking of this nature cannot be accomplished without the assistance, and a lot of it. Fortunately, it has been forthcoming. We have been greatly encouraged in this enterprise with the generous assistance rendered by Evelyn Grinstead, Cathy Black, Pat Hancock, Gertrude Morabito, Linda Owens, Doris Palm and Eileen Lott, to name a few. While our attention in accumulating pertinent information in this case has been focused on the members who served as President of our Association, we are by no means unmindful of the tremendous amount of work contributed by the many others among our membership. We could not function without our Secretary, Treasurer, Show Chairman, Convention Chairman, etc. These roles are just as essential to our Society function as President; but theirs is another story.

Putting this composition together has been a happy and gratifying experience for us in spite of the tedious and sometimes painful nature of the research involved. Getting to know these people, if somewhat sadly or somewhat happily, has been a genuine pleasure. We have cried a little and laughed a little, and marveled much at the complexity of human nature. Moreover, it is always great to be able to report something complimentary about our associates and in this endeavor there was nothing else to say!"

________________________________________________________________________23OUR OHIO STATE AFRICAN VIOLET SOCIETY PRESIDENTS

They served so magnanimously

"Unquestionably the most important resource of our fraternity can possess is a corps of able and dedicated members willing to assume the load of organizing and maintaining our Society: take on the work in the front office, so to speak! With this in mind, we have it as our purpose in making this little promulgation, to pay token tribute to those members who have served us so well as President of our Ohio State African Violet Society. We will be talking in superlative terms for much of this presentation because, quite simply, there is no other adequate way to describe their unselfish service to our Society! Their contributions have been so extensive that telling their story in itself provides a very good portrayal of our association history. The accumulation of material for this narrative was made somewhat difficult due to the lack of adequate records, and the consistently reticent response extended us by the subjects. While modestly disdaining any claim to accolades, they seem to feel that if your performance record speaks for itself, don’t interrupt it. What we did learn was that almost as a die-cast they perpetrate an image of outgoing interest in everything and everyone around them. The quest for excellence is readily apparent in their every approach. When we seek to stimulate the quintessence in others, we always seem to bring out the best in ourselves. All of them carry abiding commitments in numerous other hobbies, social activities and family relationships. Additionally, their participation as "movers and shakers" in our Affiliate and National arenas is well known. They exemplify the old Missouri adage: ‘if you want to get a job done with dispatch give it to a busy person’! Unfortunately, several of our earlier Presidents have expired and thus we are denied further association with them; so we see this little effort at history recording as a way of keeping faith with their memory. Our Society officers are elected and take office in October, however, in this work we carry their term as of the following year. And so, going back to the beginning to the beginning in 1954, we would like to reminisce with some of our leading OSAVS members who have done so much for our fraternity. It is due largely to their unstinting efforts that we can enjoy the many advantages which our Society currently presents.”

In the next issue of The Violet Connection I will present the biographies of the first Presidents of our Society. I invite your feedback on this new series of articles. Contact me at acenci@cinci.rr.com.

Al Cenci, OSAVS Historian

________________________________________________________________________242014 Convention Show Awards

Thanks to all of you who donated to the 2013 OSAVS Awards. Congratulations to all our show winners. I hope that you have sent your "Thank You" notes to the awards donors.

To help you get a good start for next year’s show, here are some of the specific awards. They are not in any special order.

Category                                                                                                                                  Amount                    DonorBest Buckeye Hybrid $50.00 Pat HancockBest Lyndon Lyons Hybrid $25.00 Paul SoranoBest Species $25.00 Brenda PetryBest Trailer $25.00 Cathy WillisBest Robinson Hybrid $10.00 gift card Ralph RobinsonBest Pittman - mini/semi mini $10.00 Penny WichmanBest Kentucky Hybrid $10.00 Penny WichmanBest 'Newtown Gertrude Morabito' $25.00 Mel GriceBest Newtown Hybrid $20.00 Al & Karen CenciBest Kohleria $10.00 Top Garden ProductsBest Wasp Blossom $35.00 Brenda Petry & Gertrude MorabitoBest White Blooming AV $20.00 Al CenciBest Blooming Columnea $10.00 Linda NeumannBest Canadian Hybrid $25.00 Doris & John BrownlieBest Jonathan Ford Streptocarpus $10.00 Georgene AlbrechtBest Vintage AV $10.00 Kathleen CahallBest Chimera $25.00 Steve & Donna TurnerBest Streptocarpus $25.00 Steve & Donna TurnerBest Primulina Tamiana $10.00 Georgene Albrecht

Thanks to Penny Wichman, Lori Hilfer, Gertrude Morabito, Julie Jones and many others who made our convention and show a huge success.

If you wish to make a donation for an award, please make the check out to OSAVS and mail it to me at 6070 Bridgehaven Dr., Milford, Oh 45150

Thank you,

Karen CenciAwards Chairman

2013 OSAVS Auction

I want to thank everyone who donated items to our silent auction and our live auction this year. Also thanks to the members who participated in the auctions. We had a successful auction year for OSAVS. Also thanks to my two auctioneers Steve Turner and Al Cenci for all their help.

Karen CenciAuction Chairman

________________________________________________________________________25Additions/Corrections to Membership list

John T. & Judith M. Carter 1825 W. Lincoln St., Broken Arrow, OK 74012-8509 (918)-355-8020! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! johntcarter@valornet.com

Joan Cornett!! 91 Goldengate Drive, Centerville, OH 45459 !! ! (937)-434-0087! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! joancornett@yahoo.com

Will Cronk! ! Change email to wcronk57@outlook.com

Jan DeVeny ! ! 10138 Cherry Tree Terrace, Dayton, OH 45458!! ! (937)-885-3466! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! jandeveny@yahoo.com

Joyce Green! ! 1180 Stillcreek Dr., Dayton, OH 45458 ! Joycegreen2012@gmail.com

Andrea Herman! 30 Mill Run Lane, Springboro, OH 45066 ! ! ! (937)-885-0487! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Aherman665@aol.com

Linda Lloyd! ! 1456 Farnham Road, Troy, OH 45373 (937)-339-2304 leelloyd@woh.rr.com

Gary Saunders! 3560 Bluff Gap Drive, Grove City, OH 43123 ! ! (614)-875-4748! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! garychefgary@yahoo.com

Victoria Sawicki! 39730 Bart St., Canton, MI 48187!! ! ! ! (734)-454-9703! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! vsawicki4943@wowway.com

Rosemary White! 31565 White Road, Willoughby Hills, OH 44092 ! ! (440)-520-4289

Episcia 'Country Copper'Jeremy Keene

Jeremy KeeneBest Novice

________________________________________________________________________26

Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses, Inc.PO Box 249 Dept AV - Dolgeville, NY 13329

Quality hybrids since 1954African Violets, Aeschynanthus, Primulinas,

Codananthe, Columneas, Episcias, Kohlerias, Nematanthus, Orchids, Rex Begonias,

Streptocarpus, other assorted Gesneriads.

***Our greenhouses are open year round.

No appointments necessary!Call for hours! Phone (315)-429-8291

Visit our website at:www.lyndonlyon.com

Welcome New OSAVS Members!John and Judith Carter, Joan Cornett, Jan DeVeny, Janice

Eley, Joyce Green, Andrea Herman, MaryAnne Housel, Linda Lloyd, and Victoria Sawicki.

Diastema latiflorum GRF 9669AKaryn Cichocki

Little Blue BanditDebbie McInnis

Lyon's Cranberry CrushMarge Farrand

________________________________________________________________________27

Cape Cod VioletryJohn & Barbara Cook

587 Shawmut Ave., New Bedford, MA 02740-4620Ph. (508)-993-2386

For ORDERS — Email violets@cape.comFor CATALOG in Adobe Acrobat Email ccviolets@msn.com or send $2.00 (refundable with order)

to above address

OVER 500,000 PLASTIC POTS IN STOCK FROM 1-½" TO 8"Standard — Tub — Square White — Green — Terracotta

Oyama Planters — All Sizes and Colors! ! ! Fertilizers — Dyna-Gro, Optimara, Peters,Dandy Pots! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Schultz, OthersSwift Moist Rites! ! ! ! ! ! Growing MediaWick Water Reservoirs! ! ! ! ! African Violet Mix and Wicking MixPermanest Trays! ! ! ! ! ! Vermiculite — Perlite — Peat Moss3" and 6" Clear Domes! ! ! ! ! Physan 20 — Phyton 27Labels 3" — 4" — 5"! ! ! ! ! SuperthrivePesticides and many other products

Manufacturers of Elisa's African Violet Support Rings & J F IND Rings

Remember — The following is now in effect — To promote the writing of more articles for The Violet Connection magazine by OSAVS members — the President will appoint each year a committee of three (3) OSAVS members to meet at convention and select the two best articles authored by OSAVS members printed in The Violet Connection magazine since the last convention (December, March, June and September issues). Winners to be announced at the Awards Banquet. Winners will receive a one year complementary OSAVS membership. Life members receiving this award may donate their complementary membership award to non-OSAVS members in hopes of encouraging future OSAVS membership.

OUT OF AFRICABLOOMING AFRICAN VIOLETS, STREPTOCARPUS, EPISCIA,

KOHLERIA, AND OTHER GESNERIADSGary S. Mikita 2841 Brown St.(219)-763-4861 Portage, IN 46368

Send $1 for Catalogwww.Garys-Out-of-Africa.com garymikita@cs.com

Orchard's Bumble MagnetMary Martin

________________________________________________________________________28

The Violet Barn100ʼs OF MINI, TRAILING, AND STANDARD VIOLETS, AND

MANY OTHER GESNERIADS

We ship anywhere, anytime -- safe delivery guaranteed!

Send $2 for FULL-COLOR CATALOG, or visit us online at www.violetbarn.com

Dr. Ralph (Rob) & Olive Ma Robinson phone: 585-374-8592PO Box 9, Naples NY 14512Open for visitors Tuesday thru Saturday, 1-5 pm

Selling Leaves of African VioletStandards, Miniatures, Trailers, Wasps,

Species, Vintage Varieties and SuppliesOur catalog is available online with many pictures. Visit our website www.violetgallery.com

Email mpetry@embarqmail.com Phone (717)-528-8268 1590 Cranberry Road, York Springs, PA 17372

________________________________________________________________________29

African Violet Society of Cincinnati 3rd Sunday each month with the exception of January and July. New England Club8135 Beechmont Ave., Cincinnati, OH Meeting Time: 2:00 p.m.http://cincyavs.org/

Columbus African Violet Society4th Monday of the month at Franklin Park Conservatory 1777 E. Broad Street 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. www.columbusafricanvioletsociety.org

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Columbus-African-Violet-Society-CAVS/114427545301929

African Violet Society of Dayton 3rd Monday of the month with the exception of January and July. Springboro Municipal Building, 320 West Central Ave., Springboro, OH Meeting Time: 7:00 p.m.jmschroeder22@aol.com

Parmatown African Violet Club 1st Wednesday of the month Parma Heights Library6206 Pearl Road Parma Heights, Ohio Meeting Time: 7:00 p.m.rahilfer@roadrunner.com and find us on Facebook

Town & Country Club of Painesville 2nd Tuesday of every monthKirtland Public Library, Kirtland, Ohio 44094P.O. Box #154 Mentor, OH 44061-0154townandcountryavs@gmail.com

Meeting Calendar

From the editor...The 2013 OSAVS show was outstanding as usual. Lots of beautiful plants to see and buy. I spent my money on the beautiful cross stitch picture made by Donna Turner that she donated to the auction. I will treasure it always as a reminder of good friends and good times!

Please think about writing an article for The Violet Connection. Remember the yearly contest (see page 27) for the two best articles written by OSAVS members. Articles don’t have to be long — just write about your favorite plant and how you grow it. Take some photos and send them to me. If you don’t have a photo of your plant, I probably have one I could use. I have over 25,000 photos on my computer and most of them are of African violets and other gesneriads.

Good growing!

Mel

Deadline for March issue:

January 25, 2014

________________________________________________________________________30MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION /

CHANGE OF ADDRESSSEND TO: OHIO STATE AFRICAN VIOLET SOCIETY LINDA RIDDLE, Membership Chair 3106 Hyde Park Ct. Hilliard, OH 43026 DATE:

Select one: Membership Application Change of Address

Please enroll me as a member of OSAVS (Select desired membership level)

Individual Membership $10.00

Family Membership (Husband & Wife) $15.00

Commercial Membership $20.00

Affiliate Membership $10.00

PLEASE PRINT OK to list information in magazine? Yes No

Name:

Address:

Address2:

City: State / Province:

Zip / Postal Code: Phone:

Email:

I would like to receive The Violet Connection by Email (color photos)

or by regular postal mail (black & white photos - no color)

Dues increase to mail the Violet Connection magazine, $5 for Canadian members, $10 for other countries. If members receive the magazine via e-mail, no dues increase.