|
|
|
|
Custom Search
|
Home > Convention > Last Convention > Annual Convention Report Annual Convention ReportsOHA's 103rd ConventionRemember Yesterday - Protect TomorrowThe theme for the 103rd Convention was Remember Yesterday - Protect Tomorrow and while this event is over, the societies of District 4 challenge each member of the OHA to continue to use this as a springboard for your future endeavours. Thank you to the delegates who came to Peterborough. We hope you will come back again. Lots of activities occupied our days and nights: speakers, adult and youth competitions, bus trips and boat tours entertained and informed. The barbecue and banquet were also highlights of the weekend. The business of the OHA was also conducted at the AGM. This year an added bonus was having the Youth Camp located nearby. This meant that we were able to see some of their activities throughout the weekend. Trent University was an impressive setting for the event and the conference staff bent over backwards to make sure that everyone was taken care of. Staying at the student residence may have given us all new insight and some new skills, like remembering to unlock the connecting bathroom door. Even the weather cooperated - most of the time we were dry and the temperature was certainly comfortable. This was especially important as we walked around the campus. The many volunteers who worked during the actual convention came from societies across the district and were highly visible in their green vests. Smiling faces and offers of help were always appreciated. They met challenges head on and I hope each one of them had the opportunity to chat with some of the interesting people who attended. For those who had never attended an OHA Convention, it was a wonderful opportunity to see what actually takes place. In addition there was a legion of volunteers who worked off-site or in other locations, setting up or taking down. Dealing with the logistics of using two areas of the campus during the weekend was a challenge but everyone pitched in and got the job done. The organizing committee cannot thank our society members enough. It reminds us all that OHA is a volunteer organization and we depend on our volunteers for so many things. Members of the OHA Board and our Youth Leaders were also out and about doing their part to make things run smoothly. I would like to extend special thanks to Barb O'Malley, the OHA Registrar, who was a huge help to us all. Also to our 'volunteer wranglers', Anne Milne and Etela Vojnic and to, my husband, Gary for all computer related tasks he dealt with. The organizing committee worked tirelessly to make sure everything was taken care of. Lenna Broatch, Beryl Harris, Rose Odell, Bev. Silk and Rodger Smith came through when we needed them most. They took on responsibilities and went beyond the call of duty. Our meetings were filled with laughter no matter how difficult a problem. They made the process much more enjoyable. Lastly, I would like to especially thank John Sellers, our District Director, for all of the work he has done, not only for this convention but also for our district as a whole. He was our spokesperson throughout and we all appreciate his efforts. Now he can go back to his garden for a while. We all learned a lot and grew as a result of our experience. It was a great ride! See you in Barrie in 2010. Dianne Westlake Organizing Committee 2009 OHA Convention
Annual Convention Report 2008 Chairperson, Brenda Heenan, District 15 Director Convention 2008 is now part of OHA's history, but its theme "Sharing Our Diversity" should remain part of our association's guiding principles forever. We will continue to celebrate OHA's diversity - a collection of individuals bringing together varied demographic, cultural, human, intellectual, and philosophical differences to help create an environment that honors and respects those differences. District 15 members from the rural, suburban and urban societies of Caledon, York Region, Brampton, Mississauga and Toronto came to know each other better through working together on our common goal - to help all delegates gathered from far and wide, to feel at home in Brampton, Canada's Flower City. The 17 societies of District 15 hope delegates and guests enjoyed sharing our diversity with us during Convention 2008. It was not always trouble free - at times the theme "Sharing Our ADVERSITY" seemed more to the point - but we supported each other when things went not according to plan. The patience, thoughtfulness and kindness of our guests was remarkable as well, and because of this caring and understanding, your hosts were able to relax and enjoy themselves, too. I would like to express my pride and appreciation to all the volunteers who pitched in to share the work of organizing and hosting the Ontario Horticultural Association's 102nd annual convention for more than 500 welcomed guests from across Ontario. Many of these volunteers were from beyond District 15's borders including your OHA Board members and 5 of the 6 youth leaders who supervised the 33 young campers at Lake St George field centre. I cannot thank individually, every one of the 137 District 15 volunteers, many of whom worked daily at the site, but special mention goes to District 15 Board members Carole Spraggett, Mary Sasiela, Lillian Brown, Grace Nelham, Daphne van Ginkel, Past District 15 Board member Wendy Gay (volunteer coordinator) and Barb O'Malley, wearing 2 hats as District 15 Treasurer and OHA registrar. I hope all volunteers have developed new bonds of friendship through this experience. I know I have been rewarded for my efforts with good feelings, better memories and new best friends. In the words of Kahil Gibran, "In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed." Annual Convention Report 2004 Conservation & Environment - Chairperson, Alan Batke "OUR ENVIRONMENT - OURS TO SAVE" We are not a political group; we provide education, encouragement and promote environmentally friendly solutions for our lives and horticultural practices. Objectives The membership, our youth and all future generations deserve and have the right to have good health and a clean green planet. Government and Corporation dollars and profits must not affect our Air, Food, Water or Health, as so many times the almighty dollar seems to always take precedence. The air we breath - free of pollution. The food we consume wholesome and nutritious - free of Genetically Modified Organism, (G.M.O.) Frankenfoods - Please read the labels before you buy or put it into your mouth, "After all you are what you eat" Our water - clean and pure. Our health - not to have fear to touch a plant, walk upon lawns, the grasses, which we use, our pets and children play on, be free of pesticides. Awareness We are experiencing an alarming destruction and loss of our plants and wildflowers by the following alien invaders, help us to stop and control their proliferation! 1) Garlic-mustard -Alliaria officinalis Native to 2) Common Reed - Phragmites maxima (P. communis), Native North America, Europe and 3) Purple Loosestrife - Lythrum salicaria, Native to 4) Japanese Knotweed - Polygonum cuspidatum, Native to Do not dispose of unwanted pets or exotic species (turtles, snakes, fish or reptiles) into sewers, streams or lakes. Take them to pet store for a new home. Do not dump toxic chemicals into sewers, streams or lakes, (paint, used oil, drugs, etc.) take them to recycle depots to be disposed of properly. 2 cycle engines have an effect on our air quality use a 4 cycle mulching mower- leave the grass clippings on the lawn and cut no lower than 3 inches. This will also aid in helping reduce weed population. Water grass in early morning once a week to the amount of I inch also when it is not windy Get your plants off of drugs and steroids, use compost, well rotted manure & compost tea, your plants will love you for this. My wife Karen and I have been totally natural and organic at our home for over 40 years with great, great successes We wish all of you to practice the 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. When was the last time, you asked for or used any recycled paper products? We presented a challenge 3 years ago to you, the membership and the Ontario Horticultural Association, to reduce or not use new bleached paper. How many have taken up this challenge or are using at least 30% recycled paper now? Thank you to Judy Scott for asking and insisting that our yearbook printer only use recycled paper and our year book looks just as good as any other. I was very pleased to hear that we planted another tree for our 98th Convention, in Plant native species and use recycled paper, send a letter, email, or phone to your representative. Involve youth. "We Must All Learn to Accept Life's Blemishes", and to an extent we all do, because every morning we all look into our mirrors. We do not need that perfect apple. Resources and Partnerships The Master Gardeners of Ontario Inc. Dr. David Suzuki Foundation (Nature Challenge) Canadian Wildlife Federation (Birds, Bats, Butterfly, Backyard Habitat Program) Oak Ridges Moraine Earth Stewardship Trees Evergreen Seeds of Diversity Canadian Organic Growers Native Plant Society North American Wildflower Society Conservation Authorities Best Management Practices Committees Conservation Authorities, Friends of Watersheds Locally Friends of Mill & Wigle Creek, Friends of Cedar Creek Essex-Kent Organic Growers Networking with the Societies Coverage by Newspaper, Radio and National Television Mandate - Natural Resources Handbook, partially done, draft will be done for fall or at least by spring board meeting, it will be ready for 2005 in In closing "Our Environment - Ours to Save" Leaving a lasting legacy, for future generations to enjoy! Dare to care, make a difference. Yours in horticulture
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
© 2004 Ontario Horticultural Association Privacy Statement | E-mail the Webmaster. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||