From: Betsytrips at aol.com on 1999.08.13 at 19:21:42(3572)
Dear Aroiders,
Since no one else has taken fingers to the keyboard to expound on the
fantastic, wonderful, overwhelming, joyous, just plain overall grand
experience of the VIII International Aroid Conference just completed in St.
Louis, I want to tell all, it was magnificently run, presented and to those
who attended, beyond words. So much fun to be among my friends of so many
years and then to meet and great and make other new friends was unreal. I
truly did not know there were so many other slightly crazy folks on this
earth. Fully realizing, I am minimizing the 'crazy.'
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>From the speakers, to the receptions, to the banquet, all ran almost like
clockwork. I am sure a great deal of that was due to Tom's Assistant, with a
capital, Beth. She is due credit that I am sure, I cannot even comprehend. I
would hope he gave her a day off, but knowing Tom, he added one instead. Then
the greenhouse with all of his plants and a few of mine (or should I say that
in the past tense), all looked good due to the many and continuing efforts of
our dedicated Aroid lover, Cheryl. One cannot leave Dewey, our beloved
President of IAS, out of the tangle of folks so due credit with the
conference. His wit and humor and straight to the point perspective jolted
the splitters and focused those less so. It may not be unusual for St. Louis,
but for me, the box lunches and the banquet food was delicious and presented
delightfully; not that I went to the conference for food and the ever
available coffee and water. I am sure there are so many that I am not aware
of by name who deserve so many thanks for their efforts, but one I cannot
leave out is Tom's wife, Pat, who deserves sainthood for just putting up with
Tom normally say nothing about 16 to 20 strange speaking visitors sleeping, I
am sure, from end to end of their beautiful home west of St. Louis. Her
comment to me was that it was wonderful to have 16 intelligent and charming
young people to talk to at breakfast. What does that say about the norm I
wonder? Kidding. The heading to "still grinning" came to me this morning via
Aroid L from Mary Jane Hatfield and I think it echoes the sentiments of so
many who were there and some who are still pestering Tom for information. I
know I am exhausted and I did not get there at the beginning so perhaps
someone who was there for Sunday and Monday can add some kudos to those
aspects of the affair. I know the party at Tom's on Sunday must have been
awesome. Monday's programs I was very sad to have missed, but I know the rest
of you enjoyed them. I did get to be a background part of the 'program from
Hell' our colleague from Chiapas, Mexico, attempted to give, where the slides
did nothing right and when corrected, persisted with their determination of
not rightsideup, etc. I was pleased when several came to me afterward and
told me to tell Miguel that they saw wonderful potential in his beautiful
collections that were in photographs and the botanist said they could see his
efforts and thought it had great potential. That always softens the let down
when things go wrong. John Banta's program was his usual unbelievable. John,
in an effort to pick the experts minds often played the naive and innocent,
which to those who know him was absurd and to those who offered him
information, delighted him. Dr. Dan Nicolson's wonderfully delightful ending
presentation was so perfect to blend the world of the delight of the
collector and the botanist, all in one. So many wonderful presentations in
the middle, far too numerous to be brought up, but let me tell you, who were
not there, you are going to be sorry until we meet again at Kew in 2001. We
expect you to start saving your pennies, or perhaps dimes, so that we can all
meet again in England. Peter Boyce and his colleagues at Kew, have a great
deal to do to equal this conference. We all wish you well and ever so hope we
can join you there.
The International Aroid Society certainly has so many dedicated aroiders and
we need to continue our support so that there will be that facilitator for
publication of the research and expertise that we seek. Our own, Dewey Fisk
and Tricia Frank worked tirelessly during the conference to make different
aspects of the conference go smoothly. Tricia held sales of plant related
materials together and then was even there some for the plant sales. I know
she missed many programs attending to this aspect of the conference. We owe
her a special thanks for her smile and help when we 'wanted' something and
quickly so we could go hear the speakers.
The many posters that were on display were unbelievable. Many people must
have spent untold hours preparing these large one page displays. Thanks to
them for their efforts and expertise and love of Aroids.
One could not leave out the two new awards that were given with their
beautifully done presentation done by Dewey. One went to Dr. Nicolson for all
of his botanical efforts and the other went to Josef Bogner for his
horticultural prowess. Certainly very deserving recipients. I think we all
know that the committee that made the decision on recipients must have had so
many to decide from, but these two gentlemen were their final decision; and
wonderful choices they are!!!!!!
I personally would like to thank our own Tom Croat for all of his efforts and
ever so much work and his staff for all they did to make our time in St.
Louis memorable and ever so delightful. Furthermore, I would like him to know
how much we appreciate all of his efforts on the Aroids that make more
information available to us. While from time to time, I disagree with him, he
is just one of those people who is ever so special to me with his timidness
to ask for a plant or a cutting or for anything when you really would like
him to express his desire. We, who attended, have so much to thank him for
because without Tom we would be in a heap of trouble when we want our
questions answered, and now, of course. Without Tom, there would have been
no conference for us to attend in St. Louis.
Tom, Beth, Cheryl, Pat, Dewey, and ever so many I am forgetting or unaware of
all, you did and do each and every day for us, Thanks....with tear in eye, it
had to come to an end, but with the anticipation of yet another in 2001 and
with memories that I am sitting here 'still grinning.'
Betsy Feuerstein
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