Jim Teeple and Kathy Burke awarded ADS medals.

Jim Teeple and Kathy Burke were awarded an ADS Special Award for their work developing the Judges Online Training Modules with their fellow team members during the past three years. They received an engraved ADS Gold Commemorative Medal and certificate provided by the Judges Accreditation Committee. Congratulations for your great work on the terrific online training modules! Another benefit of ADS membership is access to the training modules.

Planting Fields Volunteer Training

Mandatory training sessions scheduled for 2024 to maintain your active Planting Fields volunteer status.

1. The annual Planting Fields Foundation volunteer training will be conducted in-person on March 12 or March 13 from 11:30am-1:30pm in Coe Hall. Please reply to dmoramarco@plantingfields.org to let Donna know which day works best for your schedule. During this session, the updated 2024 volunteer handbook will be reviewed. At the end of the session, signed volunteer agreements will be collected. Check Donna’s Feb 29th email which includes the 2024 handbook in this update, so you have time to review it before the training.

2. New York State Parks has informed us that all Planting Fields Volunteers must complete a safety training program. The onsite session is scheduled for March 12 from 10am - 11am, with a Zoom meeting option for those unable to attend in person scheduled for March 18 from 10am - 11am. Please note that this in-person training will be held in the Conference Center. This training is mandatory for all Planting Fields Volunteers. For those Garden Volunteers that already participated in the February session, you do not need to attend. Your attendance has been recorded. You can come directly to Coe Hall at 11:30 for the annual volunteer training.  If you didn’t attend, then you must attend this in-person or Zoom training.

Espoma Donation

The Mid Island Dahlia Society would like to thank the Espoma Company for the generous support of our Eisenhower Park and Cornell/East Meadow Farm display gardens with their environmentally friendly, socially responsible and organic products. It is greatly appreciated by all.

Their donation of these wonderful  products will make our gardens even better this year! Thank You, Espoma!

End of Season Thoughts ….

Thanks to everyone who helped research, organize and put together our fabulous Mid Island Dahlia Society website this year. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped make our display gardens beautiful and well maintained; without your generous help it would not be possible. I hope to see everyone back in 2024 and welcome any new volunteers. Everyone is welcome regardless of your dahlia experience or years of growing.  According to the USDA we are now designated as Plant Hardiness Zone 7B Revised Plant Hardiness zones

A very Merry Holiday Season to you and yours and a Happy and Healthy 2024!  Robert