District Six, A Carolinian District, Fall Breakfast Meeting Saturday, September 23, 2017 Host Society - Mount Hamilton
1. Welcome: Mount Hamilton President, Claire Kostyshyn Claire welcomed the delegated and invited them to help celebrate Mount Hamilton's 90th anniversary at break time. She introduced the District Director, Catherine McGill, District Treasurer, Bob Wilt and the District Secretary, Marie Decker. She explained that due to a death in the family, City Counselor, Terry Whitehead, would not be in attendance. Claire did a quick update on Hamilton including the revamping of the Hamilton Greenhouse and Mediterranean garden in Upper Gage.
2. Catherine called the meeting to order. Motion to accept the minutes of the February 25, 2017 District 6 Spring Breakfast Meeting made by Lianne Krane (Milton), seconded by Sandi Remedios (Burlington). Carried.
3. District Financial Report Cash balance - $13,632.25 Year to date: $300 extra revenue from AGM was offset by extra cost for AGM. Judging school - none this year Motion to accept the presented financial statement was made by Mary Cameron, (Burlington) seconded by Jackie Riddell, (St George). Carried
4. Upcoming meeting Dates Fall Dinner, Delhi & District, November 4, 2017 in the Delhi Legion. Speaker - Mae Leonard. Send cheques in to Bob Wilt or directly to Delhi as per the registration form. Attendees must pay in advance as there will be no ticket sales at the door. Registration deadline - Oct 25 - no refunds. Spring Breakfast Meeting, Haldimand, February 24, 2018, St. Paul's Anglican Church, Caledonia. Annual General Meeting, St. George, Lynden, Glen Morris, April 14, 2018, St George Arena Fall Breakfast Meeting, Paris, Sept. 22, 2018, Paris Fairgrounds Fall Dinner, 2018, Brantford, Gunners Club, 115 Henry St. This event is in jeopardy due to the cost of the Brantford site. Bob Wilt is looking into another option. 2019 and 2020 - sign-up sheet passed around 2019 Annual General Meeting - Burlington. 2019 will n be their 100th Anniversary.
5. Gardenontario Week June 10-18, 2018 Plan an event and publish it on the OHA web site and on the D6 website and Facebook.
6. OHA website update April Davies new webmaster New launch - spring 2018
7. District 6 Dirt - a new editor is needed as the present editor, Rita Ladjansky is retiring at the end of January. Please send information and articles to Cat or the new editor. This newsletter comes out four times each year. The Published date will be changed so the newsletter comes out right after the convention. Sandi Remedios volunteered her skills and services as the new editor. Thank you Sandi.
8. OHA Fundraiser License plates Cat has eight license plate holders for sale at $10 each. Contact Cat. If there is interest Cat may be able to get a few more.
9. The District Six Constitution is complete, signed and available on the District Six website.
10. Highway of Heroes The OHA Societies and Districts raised a total of $ 27,075.60 , which the OHA matched up to a total of $2500 for a grand donation total of $29 575.60. 117, 000 trees have already been planted along Highway 401 from CFB Trenton to Coroner's office in Toronto. 2 million additional trees have been planted in groves behind. The goal is to plant a tree for every fallen Canadian soldier in all wars fought by Canadians.
11. Society Treasurer Bonding Insurance (STBI) fund update Money due back Societies has been tallied. Catherine will receive the cheques at the next OHA Board meeting and will have them available for District Six Society pick-up at the District Six Spring Breakfast Meeting.
12. OHA Convention Proxy votes - 10 of 21 District Six Societies either did not send voting delegates to the Convention or did not send in proxies. Catherine explained why it is so important to our District that every vote be accounted for next year. Catherine feels that several of our Societies are so insular that they are either unaware of the larger OHA picture or are apathetic enough not to care or see the need to be informed. In 2017 the District Six name change was voted down due to the lack of votes available for the vote. This issue will come to the 2018 Convention and it is imperative that every District Six vote be at the convention. To aid in this the ADD's will bring proxy forms to Society meetings they attend for signatures. You must either register convention attendees as voting delegates or sign over your proxies to Catherine or a member who will be attending convention.
The OHA is looking at updating the information and names of each District and has asked that each District Six Society review: a) Who your Society is, b) who do you serve and c) who is included in your Society area? There should be no changes in District boundaries, only name clarification. Catherine will be asking every District Six Society to think about this and answer these questions well before the 2018 convention in Kingston in July. It was also suggested that blank proxy forms be brought to the AGM in April, 2018. Catherine can let you know how many votes your Society holds. Number of votes is based on individual Society membership numbers. 13. OHA Pollinator year update - Winona answered the email with a map of 160 official certified pollinator gardens in the Hamilton area. In the Toronto area the following information g has been collected: Toronto has 360 bee species, they have 6 of 7 bee families known, 90% native of their bees are native, and 70% are ground dwelling. As such a large percentage of bees are ground dwelling be sure you leave areas of bare ground in your garden. Bees cannot nest through mulch and /or garden cloth.
14. OHA and District awards presented in 2017 Award of Merit - Celia Roberts, Oakville Peggy Tollhurst - Roll of Honour Award, Flamborough - (Environmental Garden) Environmental Award Margaret Jeffery (Oakville) OHA Community garden Awards - Flamborough (Flamborough Baptist Community Garden) OHA Tree Grants - Brantford, Flamborough, Paris, Port Dover & Woodhouse, Simcoe and St. George Pollinator Award - District 15 under the leadership of our own Celia Roberts Convention Competition Awards included publications (Georgetown), Photography (Oakville), Floral Competition (Burlington, Georgetown, Oakville). Catherine encouraged all Societies to enter Competitions at the 2018 convention. It is not necessary to attend to enter. All materials will be brought home by Cat. Convention Wisdom shared with our members " Every decision that we make not only impacts how we live - it also impacts the world around us."
Catherine asked every Society to give serious consideration to attending the 2018 convention, July 27-29 in Kingston. To help you in this endeavour: ask your Society to provide a monetary incentive to help cover costs, share a room, share a ride, bring your own lunches, you do not have to attend expensive bus tours as all lectures are free.
15. Catherine introduced the current and new Assistant District Directors and explained what these people do for the Societies. ADD's act as a Society liaison, send email, perform elections/inductions, provide help in area you need. We presently have seven ADDs plus our Director, Catherine. Susan Reeder, our newest ADD was presented with her ADD pin. Mel Osborne is on a sabbatical for health reasons but will return to the District Board when he is able.
16. Catherine reviewed the District Facebook page, how it b can be accessed and how information can be uploaded to the page. Contact: Veronica Heiderich (Oakville). Facebook is linked to OHA (contact OHA webmaster, April Davies, to get linked.) D6 Facebook page name: District six gardenontario 17. Youth and Millennials A long discussion was held on how to attract and serve the needs of this group of individuals There will be an effort to involve youth at the 2018 convention ; perhaps hold a youth camp. Other ideas for involving youth: Messy church, garden helpers, education: grow beans in cups, hold a simple flower arranging session "Fun With Flowers" order the Youth DVD program from Perth, Create and printout goals, Learn how to approach a school to set up a garden program, Hold a D6 workshop on Youth involvement. Familiarize yourself with the OHA website youth rules, regulations and insurance. Go to Girl Guides/cubs/Scouts and help them earn gardening badges. Create mug arrangements Look at convention schedule and enter the youth competitions Hold a parent workshop. Educate society and community. Send information on your youth activities to Facebook and OHA. Invite Snap'd to your events. Have a Kids corner at Plant Sale - do a garden related craft.
18. Judges update - available. Call Cat to get registered.
19. To apply for a bank grants, your Society must have its own charitable organization number. Grants - significant work is involved in successful grant writing. Only three District Six Societies have a charitable organization number
20. Resources For loan of t he D6 table cloth, banners, or road directional signs - talk to Barb Bell or Cat. Ordering OHA Supplies, Don Matthews - you can order award forms, pins OJES books, President Start- up manuals, and many more supplies. To save shipping costs, if you order before an OHA Board meeting Cat will bring home your supplies and save you the shipping charge. There is a form available on the OHA website for youth grant monies. Ontario Gardener magazines - do you have gardens you would like to have showcased? Get in touch. Monarch awards. Pollinator signs are available in English and French - $25 each. Call Cat to order one.
21. Kate Sault - Burlington, President of the Dahlia Society announced the Hamilton Dahlia Society Garden Tour: Sunday, October 1, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Cost is $15 per person, or 2 for $25. Tickets available from the RBG, Dahlia Society and several nurseries in the Hamilton Burlington area. Hamilton &District Chrysanthemum &Dahlia Show - Sept 16 and 17, Gage Park. Volunteer with Leslie Hamilton and get in free.
22. Thank-you to attending delegates and to the ladies of Mount Hamilton who provided all the refreshments. Claire Kostyshyn Meeting declared adjourned by Catherine.
Rob Howard - Buffalo Garden Walk Originally started with 60 gardens; progressed to 450 gardens, and 60-70,000 visitors. Every space is used including walls. Art and found objects are prominent in the gardens. Next year: July 28-29, 2018 www.gardenwalkbuffalo.com