Gary VanGelder – No Half-Way

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By: Pam Horter-Moore

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At any OSWP event, you are likely to see Gary VanGelder on the move, doing whatever is necessary to ensure success. “There’s no half-way for me,” Gary states, and this is true in so many ways. 

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Gary became a member of OSWP in 2008, but has become such a Society staple that we are inclined to think he’s always been around. He has held practically every office within the Society: He’s been president, secretary, OSWP Orchid Show chairman, board member, and is currently serving jointly as vice-president with Demetria Marsh.

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It’s apparent that Gary throws himself whole-heartedly into whatever he does, and his innate curiosity drives him into wanting to learn and discover more about everything. “I bought my first orchid thirty years ago, but I only became serious about the hobby in 2008. I joined the society to understand orchids better, but I have stayed a member because of the friendships I’ve developed. In my opinion, the fellowship is as important as the orchids themselves. Maybe even more important. There are a lot of good people here, and I enjoy being around them.”

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Gary considers himself an eclectic orchid collector, growing what works best in his environment. He’s had most success with Cattleya and Oncidium, and is pleased with the better results he’s experienced with Paphiopedilum, Phragmipedium, and Phalaenopsis. Dendrobium and Bulbophyllum remain a struggle. “I am not willing to produce many microclimates in order to accommodate my orchids,” he says. 

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Providing a consistent environment for 400 orchids is enough of a challenge. Gary winters them in a greenhouse or indoors as space allows, and summers them outside. The greenhouse is not warm enough for some orchids in winter, so Gary is toying with the idea of housing those orchids in the basement under lights during winter in order to circumvent this problem.

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The transitional temperatures of spring also create challenges for his greenhouse orchids. Cool mornings can give way to sultry afternoons which might necessitate the use of fans. Only when conditions are safe will Gary release a plant for summering outdoors. 

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“Some orchids, like Cymbidiums, can be placed outdoors earlier than the more tropical plants.”

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Once outdoors, however, the orchids have to be protected from summer heat. Gary uses shade cloths of various types to shield the summering orchids from the fiercest rays of the sun. 

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“Orchids involve a lot of experimentation. There is no endpoint to what you can learn. This is one of the attractions of orchid growing.”

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Gary and his wife Mary make their home in South Park where they have lived for thirty-five years. Raised in Brentwood, Gary has stayed close to his roots. Following graduation from Brentwood High School, Gary attended Penn State University -McKeesport, and began his career at Jacobs Engineering, which oversees the planning, design, and construction of steel mills.

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With the decline of the steel industry in the late seventies, Gary left Jacobs to begin work at Ritchey Metals in Canonsburg, a supplier of zinc, aluminum and non-ferrous alloys that services the die-casting, electroplating, and steel-coating industries. During the course of his 40 years of employment with Ritchey Metals, Gary rose to become the shop floor engineering manager, overseeing all technical aspects of production, such as maintenance, design, and IT.

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A member of ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials), Gary was also responsible for testing metals and non-ferrous alloys and for developing standard operating procedures. One of the great joys in his work was the variety of the projects and the challenges.

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“I didn’t care for detailed engineering work. I would rather be the coordinator, someone who would rather see the forest than the trees.” Gary has been retired from Ritchey Metals for the past three years. 

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Gary and his wife Mary met at a Parents Without Partners meeting. Both were getting over a first marriage and both had children. Mary, who grew up in Carrick, had a son and a daughter, and Gary had a daughter. They have been married for thirty-five years and have enjoyed their blended family. 

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Since his retirement, Gary has plenty to keep him busy. Foremost is family. A stay-at-home mom, Mary raised their three children as well as being the babysitter for nieces and nephews and neighborhood kids. Gary and Mary are currently raising two grandsons, ages 16 and 11. 

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“Young people keep me young,” Gary says. “I am heavily involved in Scouting and have encouraged my children and grandchildren to participate.” Through programs designed for specific age groups and experience levels, Scouting engages youngsters from childhood through young adulthood, and instills moral values, self-reliance, self-confidence, social and leadership skills. “Youth betterment – anything that improves the quality of life and well-being of young people -- is a passion of mine,” Gary states. 

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Now that he is retired, Gary is “Mr. Fix-It” around the house. He’s also interested in the lapidary arts -- the cutting and etching of gem stones. 

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Most orchid growers are garden enthusiasts, and Gary is no exception. “I was hooked on gardening as a kid,” he says. He has experimented with landscape gardening and with growing the unusual, which, of course, includes orchids and other tropical plants.

 

Intensely curious, Gary is an avid reader. “I want to keep up with what’s going on the world, and my reading tastes tend toward astrology, engineering, and the sciences. Not so much fiction. That doesn’t mean I don’t love the performing arts. I just prefer to have a grounding in reality rather than fantasy.”

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Having talked with Gary, I better understand the source of energy he exerts on behalf of OSWP. The energy comes from an insatiable learner who doesn’t dabble, but goes full force. His sense of commitment is demonstrated in everything he does, whether it’s family, orchids, career, or Scouting. 

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There is no half-way when someone devotes himself to that which he loves, learning equally from failures and successes, and anticipating the best of outcomes.