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Us!
Forty billboards were placed throughout Houston and its
surrounding areas. Advertising Marketing Chairperson, Gayle Johnson AAF
TMFA felt that the best direction to take with this
campaign was to simply promote flowers at a non-holiday time.
AFH members
presented a check for $524.50 to Stone Soup Food Assistance Staff of
the AIDS Foundation of Houston. The money bought $2,500.00 worth of
food. In addition to the cash donations, many bags of food were donated.
Front row: Mabel Fisher, Patsy Hopkins, Renee Carpenter,
Kristin Gerfers,
LaVon Bankhead. Back row: Jean Kegler, Sharon Wagner,
Judy Rutledge, and Gregory Perrin
The Stone Soup Pantry provides food through AIDS
Foundation Houston to those infected with the AIDS virus. For every
dollar that
is collected, five times that amount can purchase food items. In
addition, our Allied members have donated several bags of food.
PRIMAVERA
AFH Members stage breathtaking exhibits for thousands of floral
consumers viewing the Springtime Garden Show at the Houston Galleria
At the annual Primavera in the Houston Galleria, several
allied members displayed and promoted their talents, thus creating
public relations for the floral industry. Several members of Allied
Florists
of Houston promoted their bridal expertise at the Bridal Extravaganza.
They
beautifully displayed their product. They "nourished the roots" leading
to
"cultivating several bridal blooms".
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Judy Rutledge AAF TMFA
President
Allied Florists of
Houston
Allied Florists of
Houston has "nourished the roots and cultivated the blooms" through a
firm commitment to floral industry support.
After many years of strong support to the Texas State Florist
Association's building fund,
AFH turned its attention to our local
membership. The loyalty and involvement of the membership has responded
in kind in
their continuing commitment to industry support.
In March 2000, the Allied Florists of Houston revived the Trade Show
Design
Expo.
Four talented designers presented inspirational design shows and an
educational hand-on workshop to
"Nourish Our Roots". The wholesalers went above and beyond by setting
up
beautiful booths and sponsoring the various shows. The design shows,
networking,
fun, and sharing was truly an event to remember in order to "Cultivate
Our Blooms"
Allied Florists of Houston has always believed in promoting the floral
industry's product.
By putting up 40 billboards across the greater Houston area, we
"Nourished The Roots", by encouraging expression of one's self through
flower
buying at non-holiday times. We hope to "Cultivate The Blooms"
with
increased sales and consumer awareness.
At our first meeting of the New Year, the employee director "Nourished
The Roots" by planning a production featuring three of Allied Florists
of
Houston's employee member designers. The employee members, retail
owners, and wholesalers were then given the opportunity to visit and
sign up at
the displays featuring the various committees that AFH has
established to promote the floral industry. By
encouraging new and old members to participate, we keep Allied Florists
of Houston strong and involved, thus, we "Cultivate The Blooms".
In our eight monthly meetings, we were fortunate to have generous
wholesalers who sponsor outstanding educational programs to "Nourish
Our Roots".
The inspiration and ideas that these programs provide enable us to
"Cultivate The Blooms" in our respective shops. Several members have
shown the "Blooms" by receiving several awards, achievements, and by
their
involvement. Allied Florists of Houston encourages the education
opportunities in the industry by offering three scholarships totaling
$1,765.00.
In the monthly Allied Florist magazine, we keep our membership current
with
industry news and trends. By keeping up with current floral events, we
support our chosen profession and industry.
What we have put into the floral industry has come back tenfold. We
have truly "Nourished The Roots" and "Cultivated The Blooms".
At the March Trade
Show & Design Expo, our members, both retail and
wholesale, redesigned pieces for distribution to hospitals, nurses, and
nursing homes. Everyone did their part to "Nourish" the hearts and
"Cultivate" the smiles.
We distributed 2,500 Vials of Life. We gave them to the public
at public shows, as well as our regular customers. Once the public
understood the advantage of having vital information accessible to
those rendering
aid, they would take several vials to give to their friends and family.
In addition to giving to the public and to the community,
Allied Florists of Houston takes care of each other. When a delivery
driver of one of our local wholesalers was killed, the AFH membership
came together and collected money for his widow and
children. We "Nourish" our own
and "Cultivate" the commitment to Allied Florists of Houston and the
floral industry.
In order to counteract the recent "bad press"
regarding poinsettias, Allied Florists of Houston delivered twenty-four
press releases along with a 4" poinsettia plant to area newspapers,
radio
stations,
and television stations.
Allied Florists of Houston
"Nourished The Roots" and Cultivated The Blooms" for the consumers of
Houston by actively
participating in the Texas Home and Garden Show, Blossom Time,
Primavera, and the Bridal Extravaganza. Allied Florists of Houston and
its members
worked very hard to promote flowers, the industry, and its members to
the public.
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July 1999 to June 2000
Board of Directors
President - Judy Rutledge AAF TMFA
Loki Flower Garden
1st Vice President - Debbie Wright AAF TMFA
Enchanted Florist
2nd Vice President - Clay Wade
The Flower Mart @ Hyde Park
Past President - Debbie Gordy AAF TMFA
Compton's Florist
Retail Director - Renee Carpenter TMFA
Memorial City Florist
Retail Director - Ann Engelbrecht
Society Stems
Employee Director - Diana Claprood
g. Johnson's Floral Images
Retail Director - Shirley Stockton
New Beginnings Florist
Retail Director - Jean Kegler
Southwest Florist / B & J Floral
Designs
Wholesale Director - Andy Mock
Houston Area Wholesale
Wholesale Director - Ken
Senter AIFD
Pikes Peak of Texas
Allied Magazine Editor
LaVon Bankhead AAF AIFD PFCI TMFA
At the November meeting, several vans full of toys
were
donated by the members of the Allied Florists of Houston. These toys
were distributed to children with AIDS to "nourish" their Christmas and
"cultivate" their blooming faces.
Renee Carpenter and Judy Rutledge with the toys collected by AFH
members for the AIDS Foundation Houston Red Ribbon Toy Drive
At the Texas Home
and Garden Show, the promoters gave Allied
Florists of Houston four booths at no cost because they recognize the
professionalism of our organization. We handed out membership lists,
flower coloring books, and answered numerous questions from consumers.
By
designing on site, we created much interest and attraction.
Ann Engelbrecht, AFH Public Relations Chair, planned, organized
and designed a beautiful floral display to promote AFH in the Texas
Home & Garden Show
Earl Hosea and Andy Mock work the AFH exhibit booth at The Gulf Coast
Botonic Gardens Foundation "Blossom Time"
Blossom Time was a
revival of a long time tradition in Houston. In working
closely with the area Garden Clubs in their efforts to fund a Botanical
Garden and Education Center,
Allied Florists of Houston "Nourished The Roots" and "Cultivated The
Blooms" of a botanical
garden.
Community Service Committee: Renee Carpenter TMFA, Flora Perez,
and Mary
Ann Morales TMF
Allied Florists of Houston is the most giving group of
people. We have "Nourished The Roots" of the community through
several worthy service projects. The members have opened their hearts,
pocketbooks, and their talents to others. We have participated in the
collection of money and food for the Stone Soup Pantry of AIDS
Foundation Houston, collected toys for the Red Ribbon Toy Drive for
Children
with AIDS, delivered flowers for Blooms over Houston, distributed Vials
of Life,
and assisted members in time of need.
Debbie Wright, Susan Tate, Gina Waters, Debbie Gordy, Tom Simmons,
Scott Hasty,
Judy Rutledge and Gene Kelly
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