May 2026 Meeting

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Hello OSWP Members and Friends,

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Below is the information regarding our upcoming meeting on Sunday, May 17th, at Spartan Event Center: 134 E. Elizabeth Street, 15207. (Off Second Avenue in Hazelwood)

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Parking: Lot on the lower side of building, on the street, and the nearby overflow lot across the street.

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12:30 Spartan Center opens

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12:45

Members can sell their orchids at the two tables on the left side of the room toward the back.

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PLEASE NOTE: Our agreement with the Spartan Center requires us to cover the tables. Please wait until the tables get covered before putting anything on them.

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1PM Mini-Class in upstairs classroom

Topic: Taking Your Orchids Out for the Summer

Speaker: Nancy Kline​​

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1:50 Introduction of New Members and OSWP Business Meeting, Show and Tell, Raffle

Welcome to our group! We're so happy to have you join us. There will be lots of information about the OSWP to be discussed, see our members' beautiful orchids in bloom and learn about them and buy a ticket and win something from our raffle table.

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2:40–3 PM

New Member Reception

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3:00 Speaker

Topic: Orchid Trivia…not a game just orchid information and fun facts you may not know.

Speaker: T.J. Hartung​​

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T.J. Hartung is a retired computer systems specialist and systems analyst. He designed computers and wrote computer software to manage hotels. His love for orchids began when he lived in Southern California and started growing Cymbidiums in his yard. For quite a few years, every secretary in the company where he worked received, anonymously, a Cymbidium blossom on Valentine’s Day.

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Since retiring to Mexico he has been rescuing orchids from downed trees and broken limbs before they are eaten by animals or washed down the streams and rivers into the sea. Much of what he knows about orchids he has learned in the laboratory of the great outdoors. The rest comes from online research and numerous books on the subject.

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T.J. is on the board of directors of the Vallarta Botanical Garden. In recent years he has given talks to orchids societies in the US, Canada, England and Scotland.

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"Orchid Trivia" will start with "what is an orchid?" then go through the scientific nomenclature (Linnaean system – Kingdom, Phylum, etc.), along with physical characteristics (petals, sepals, etc.) of orchids.

 

Along the way he will ask questions of the audience but won't call on anyone.

 

4:00 Meeting Over and Clean-up

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4:30 Spartan Center closes

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We hope to see you there to hear great growing information and learn more about orchid plants and orchid people.  

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Happy Growing and Think Orchids,
Gary and Demetria