Happy New Year! 

Wecome, Janet and Erin, to the CIOS Board!  Erin is our new Membership Chair, and Janet is taking over the Treasurer position from Mark. Thanks, Mark, for your many years of diigence and fiscal responsibility on our behalf!

January 12:

"WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MY ORCHID?"  Join us as  our panelists discuss some problem plants and what to do about them. Do you have a problem plant? Bring it along!  6:30 P.M. at Hessel Park Church, 700 W. Kirby, Champaign.

January 31 - March 1:

ANNUAL ORCHID SHOW.  Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis. 9:00am - 5:00 PM each day.  Admission is  included with the Admission fee to the gardens, AND if you are an AOL member, they are part of the reciproca admission program, so take your AOS card and get in free! There will be vendors, but if you are interested i buying pants, try to go the first weekend. The Orchid Society of Greater St. Louis hosts their big annual sale on site on 1/31 and 2/1. 

February 7 - March 5:

ANNUAL ORCHID SHOW: FEELIN' GROOVY. Chicago Botanical Gardens. Glencoe IL.  This is a don't miss event. Here is the blurb from their website: 

"Rewind to the ‘60s and ‘70s at the Orchid Show: Feelin’ Groovy where 10,000 vibrant orchids are the hottest thing since bell bottoms. Floor-to-ceiling sunbeams made of cascading orchids light up the room in living color. Lose yourself in a 10-foot lava lamp aglow with colorful blooms, then hit the road as a flower-filled Volkswagen Beetle carries you through a Route 66 daydream. The experience is pure good vibes." 

Check thir website before you go. They prefer that you buy tickets for specific times because they do sell out, especially om weekends, BUT if you go, they usually let you get tickets there; you may have to wait a short bit for others to exit, but it is well wrth the drive and any slight wait.

April 11:

CIOS ANNUAL ORCHID SHOW AND SALE.  Note the change of date--we are having our big event later this year. Stay tuned for details.