Directors Message

Rosarians,

I would like to welcome you to the Pacific Southwest District of the American Rose Society. Our District has over 1300 members that belong to the American Rose Society plus other members who belong only to local societies. The District is composed of West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Southern Nevada and Southern California – a much diversified growing area. I spend some time in Albuquerque, NM but reside in Palm Springs and Morongo Valley, CA – so I am all over our District.

As your elected District Director, I serve as your representative on the Board of the American Rose Society and am one of the Trustees of the American Rose Society Maintenance Endowment Trust. All of our District Officers and Committee Chairman are volunteers and our main purpose is to promote our favorite flower the “Rose”! As you know rose growing, propagating, exhibiting, hybridizing, photography, and arranging are all part of the diversity of the rose.

We have District Members as Chairman of these different aspects to help you.

Sally Long is Horticulture Judges Chairman and Marylou Coffman is Arrangement Judges Chairman. Both are appointed not only to work with our judges but also to assist your local societies. Before you publish your local show schedule be send a copy to them to make sure that all the ARS rules are being followed. Susan Graham is Chairman of our new Photography Committee. They are there to answer your questions and make recommendations. Marcia Sanchez-Walsh’s Committee, Show Calendar and Events, was established so that we would not have Rose Shows on the same dates. When you schedule your local rose show please check with Marcia so that you do not have a conflict.

As Consulting Rosarian Chairman, Ruth Tiffany wants each local society to have a great program and to train new Consulting Rosarians! Roses in Review (RIR) headed by Hal Reynolds are an annual evaluation of rose varieties in which everyone may participate. If you have any public or local rose garden you would like to have listed, please contact Dave & Gerry Mahoney. They compile list of gardens throughout our District that you may visit. Cheryl Hume is our District Historian. Dick Streeper is heading of our Bylaws Committee and Linda Clark our Nominating Committee. Helen Baird, as our elected ARS Nominating Chairman, is in charge of our District Awards such as the Silver Medal and other outstanding district service awards. Our other District Officers are Lauren Toth, Secretary, Chris Greenwood, Treasurer and Al Troyer, Vice Director. They are all elected by you as my backup team and advisors.

Please send any and all information you would like to place on our District Web Site to Brenda Pollock-Smith. All our district events, societies and volunteers are listed on this site. The only information that we send out to all of our local societies and presidents is by email. Manson Yew and Tim Lawler, Membership Chairman, keep this list updated. Anytime you have a change in officers, please email them current information.

If you are not currently a member of the American Rose Society, please consider joining. You may go to their website to see the benefits. http://www.ars.org There is a great Trail Membership Program. All of our Officers and Committee Chairman Email addresses are available on our Pacific Southwest District website. http://www.pacificsouthwestrose.org

If I could be of any assistance to you or your society, please do not hesitate to contact me. Look forward to seeing you at one of your local events, rose shows and at the District Meetings!

Hope all your roses are growing well.

Kreg Hill
District Director
Pacific Southwest District of the American Rose Society