ABS at-large vote

Anything that does not fit in another Forum...

Moderator: needmore

mantis
Posts: 2099
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2006 7:46 pm
Location info: 22
Location: Houston, TX

RE: ABS at-large vote

Post by mantis »

My e-mail went through that time 8)
Ned Jaquith wrote:
Mike,

Haven't seen before, but got it this time.

Ned

There. Now I'm not an apathetic slacker anymore. :P
User avatar
Roy
Posts: 3285
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2004 3:15 pm
Location info: 6
Location: Tampa, Florida, USA,............Florida's SunCoast <Zone 9B-10A>

RE: ABS at-large vote

Post by Roy »

The votes had to be in by Oct. 20, 2007. Today is the 25th. When should we start looking for election results?
--------------------------
Roy Rogers
Southern Tampania de la Floridana Universidad (STFU)
STFU Motto: All Bamboos are not Created Equal; @ STFU, the Search Continues
**********
:wave: ROY'S BAMBOO LIST
mikejl
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:00 pm
Location info: 0

RE: ABS at-large vote

Post by mikejl »

My-Bio - I would like your vote:

Michael JamesLong is a retired pharmacist in Eugene, Oregon, who grows 45 varieties of bamboo among 600 other types of plants.

His interest in bamboo began around 1990 and he later joined the American Bamboo Society and the Oregon Bamboo Association. He has served as Treasurer of the OBA for the past six years and is currently Secretary. During this time, Michael successfully worked with the IRS to obtain 501(c)(3) status for the Oregon Chapter. He developed and is web master for the OBA website: http://www.oregonbambooassociation.org/

Michael was a founding donor of Bamboo of the Americas, and in 2005 went on a BOTA tour in Mexico with director Gib Cooper and others. In 2004 he traveled on the “Bamboo and Bamboo Basketry Tour” in Japan, led by Nancy Moore Bess. He has contributed articles about bamboo to both ABS and OBA.

For the past three years Michael has served on the ABS Board of Directors as one of two elected at-large representatives. He would like to continue with his volunteer efforts.
fredgpops
Posts: 885
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:26 pm
Location info: 0
Location: plus 700ft in the Santa Cruz Mtns, 8 miles from the Pacific
35 miles S. of San Jose

RE: ABS at-large vote

Post by fredgpops »

The ABS is difficult to evaluate. 1) It's like the old Confederation of States in that the Chapters appear to have more clout than the central body of the organization. You have to get data on what the chapters are doing to totally evaluate the effectiveness of ABS.. 2) I was a member of ABS some years ago. I was a novice and I found the magazine too esoteric, and something I did not find useful. At that time, it was hard, reading the magazine, to evaluate what ABS was doing as an organization. 3) My experience, again it was some time ago, was that when I had a question about growing bamboo and sent my questions to a couple of chapters, I never got a response. There was a time when I wanted to donate some bamboo to a local ABS sale and no one would respond re the procedure on how to do so ie. who to call, etc. My impression was that they did not want to deal with casual, private growers. 4) Although I have only casual exposure, the Southern California Chapter appears to be involved in both big picture action items and more open to spreading information to both large nurseries and small time casual growers. They have a large active membership and appear to have the money to be effective. Rgds
User avatar
rfgpitt
Posts: 1021
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2005 3:28 am
Location info: 24
Location: Zone 6a - SW of Pittsburgh - 15317

RE: ABS at-large vote

Post by rfgpitt »

Fred,
I'm surprised that there is not more representation from other ABS mems on this site. Seems like an easy and cheap way to help others and self-educate. Maybe "they" know it all already? I have yet to have a mature planting even though I've been growing since 2003 and I like to have a clue about new plants and classification, hence my involvement here. I have yet to attend a meeting as it is a big commitment without knowing someone (I'm shy :oops: ) and the closest event to me was the 2007 national convention on the other side of my state - 4 hours away - and not that it kept me away,but it would not have been cheap to attend.

I posted this thread a few days ago and yet to get any info outside of John's reply (and thanks cause posts like that John are the only way I really know something goes on outside of selling plants, and boozing it up). I will probably use info gathered at a number of sources and put something together so I have medium to offer anyone I come across who shows interest.

I'm assuming Fred that you are not currently an ABS member. Just seeing what you and some other non-members do day-in/day-out should embarrass :oops: some. Thank you.

I hope someone can figure out how to reach people like us that would like to get involved if we knew what we were getting involved with.
Rick
fredgpops
Posts: 885
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:26 pm
Location info: 0
Location: plus 700ft in the Santa Cruz Mtns, 8 miles from the Pacific
35 miles S. of San Jose

RE: ABS at-large vote

Post by fredgpops »

Bottom line is that it seems that you need to evaluate your local chapter re your decision to join or not join. Having evaluated my local chapter, I have found that I can get more bang for the buck (time/effort) by talking to local growers in my zone. I'm not organization orientated by nature.
Cliques tend to develop and personal issues tend to over-ride the things I'm interested in. I donate plants for various ABS auctions. I feel the need to help the support ABS to get the money they need to deal with larger issues without taking time away from my own home grown studies. The fact that ABS is chapter orientated seems strange on the surface but recognizing growing bamboo in one region is a lot different than growing bamboo in another, makes the development of the organization understandable. RGds
User avatar
bambooweb
Site Admin
Posts: 1583
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Location info: 1
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Zone 5 in WA State
Contact:

RE: ABS at-large vote

Post by bambooweb »

It was surprising at the conference to hear a number of people that never post here say that they get a lot from this site. IF YOU ARE READING THIS SIGN IN AND SAY HI!! :lol:

Part of the problem with the ABS has been the national organization got about 60% of the dues and 90% of the expenses except for the chapter hosting the meeting. As a result they could not do much.

We are now starting to do "Digital" memberships where members can sign up to get the publications on-line. This will save money that is now going to print and mail and we will also be able to communicate better with the members that have email.

You can get bamboo questions answered by sending an email to help@americanbamboo.org and Kinder Chambers will answer your question or forward it to someone that should be able to answer the question.

Rick if you show up at next years conference I will introduce you around. You can find out what happens at the meetings by reading the Bamboo magazine as most of the presentations are reprinted through the year. Most of the ABS people that I have met are plant enthusiasts and most of the growers are very helpful and generous.

Bill
fredgpops
Posts: 885
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:26 pm
Location info: 0
Location: plus 700ft in the Santa Cruz Mtns, 8 miles from the Pacific
35 miles S. of San Jose

RE: ABS at-large vote

Post by fredgpops »

Rick - Good advice from Bill. His info is current as opposed to mine. Another good sign re ABS - I noticed that a local gentleman who was very negative about ABS is now on the board of the local chapter. I like the website that answers questions. Rgds
Post Reply