Greetings All,

Welcome to our inquiring guests from the Hicks Show.

 
If you put your name on a mailing label during our show at Hicks, you will receive one more complimentary newsletter.  Please correct the spelling and address information on your mailing label.

If you, send me an e-mail ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) with “LICS Newsletter” in the Subject line,  I will add you to our e-mail distribution.  There is no cost for joining our e-mail list, and you will be kept up to date on LICS activities. 

 
You are more than welcome to join us for a meeting or two, as we gear up for next year.

 
Beginner Classes

Joan Corbisiero has agreed to host classes for beginning growers.  The classes are open to members only.  This is your opportunity to learn how to grow the flowers that you order from the Kings Mums catalog.

Kiku Festival Report

On October 28^th, a band of mum lovers from Long Island and New Jersey met at the New York Botanical Garden, for a guided tour of the 2007 Kiku Festival.  Our tour guide, Margaret Falk, led us through the show starting with the entry hall, and its massive photo essay of the show.  The pictures took us through the process of making the 1,000 Bloom Form, the Cascades (kengai), and the disbuds (ogiku).  Margaret Falk had been concerned that we would have more technical knowledge than her, and her concerns were warranted.  I think she learned as much from us, as we did from her.

She explained that our member, Yukie Kurashina has been training in Japan at Shinjuku Garden for only 3 years.  She told us that Yukie accomplished in 3 years, what takes the apprentices at Shinjuku a decade to accomplish.  Congratulations to Yukie!

It was quite an experience to see and touch plants that I have only ever seen in photos.  To me the most interesting part of the blooms were the structures that were built to carry them.  The New York Botanical Garden had to contract with an aircraft manufacturer to create the aluminum structures.  These structures needed to be built with tolerances of 1 millimeter for the stakes.  To see 200+ blooms on one plant, still exhibiting a decent size was worth the trip all by itself. 

Plans are in the works for the 2008 show.  Ms. Falk told us that NYBG is looking for volunteers.  If you think you’d like to learn the tricks of the trade, let me know, and I’ll get you in contact with the proper people at NYBG.

All the Judges on the tour agreed, Yukie would have received the NCS Gold Medal Certificate, had this been an NCS show.

New Year’s Luncheon

In keeping with our latest tradition, we will be getting together for a luncheon sometime in January.  If you have a place that you would like us to consider, let me know.  Either the second or third weekend in January seems like a good time to me.  What are your thoughts?  If there isn’t enough interest, then we don’t have to get together.

Nominating Committee

Carl Dropkin has agreed to head up the nominating committee.  His report will be submitted in February and printed in the March issue of the newsletter.  Our election will take place at our first meeting of the year in April.  If you are interested in serving on the nominating committee, or are interested in serving on the Board of Directors, please let him know.  (516-887-1677)

Website

Hopefully, our website will be up and running in the new year.  If you have any website skills, or interest in helping to set-up or maintain the site, please let me know.

Yours in Service,

John Capobianco

President

516-263-2717

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Dues are Due

As of my last correspondence with our Membership Secretary, only 2 members had renewed.  Please get your dues in, a report is due to the National Chrysanthemum Society.

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MEMBERSHIP

It would be very much appreciated by your Membership Secretary, Joan Corbisiero, if dues ($25, make check payable to LICS, Inc.) would be sent to her as soon as possible using the tear-off below.  If you have email, the society would like to have record of it ONLY for LICS informational purposes.  It will not be listed on our roster.  Thank you.

Name  ________________________________________________________________________

Address  ______________________________________________________________________

                                    Street                                       City                              Zip

Phone  __________________         Email  ___________________________

Mail to: LICS Membership Secretary

c/o Joan Corbisiero

318 Warwick Avenue