As many of you know, in January, the Riverside Rose Society launched its first-ever program aimed at young people ages 7-17. I was appointed Chairman of the new program and immediately began making plans for the new group. It was decided that we would meet at my home on the 2nd Saturday of every month from 9:00 A.M. – 11:30 A.M.
The group currently has four members: Nate Wagner, 13, Blanca Rivera, 15, Alexis Rivera, 13, and Devon Wold, 8. At their first official meeting held on Saturday, March 11, 2006, the kids decided to call themselves the “Rose-Budz” because 1.) their interest in roses, and 2.) the fact that they are friends, or “budz”, not to mention that it’s a great play on a word representing a part of a rose in its young stage, i.e., a rosebud.
The first guest speaker to come to the first meeting of the Rose-Budz was Mrs. Lee Stevens. Lee is the Chairman of RRS’ Restoring Roses To Southern Gardens project which is raising public awareness of the loss of beauty in the south as a result of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, as well as raising funds to buy roses to “restore southern gardens” destroyed by the storms. Mrs. Stevens explained to the Rose-Budz the tremendous damage the hurricanes did to the beautiful gardens of the region and what our society is doing to try to restore them. She informed the kids how they could help the project…by decorating mason jars in our society’s colors, using lids painted navy, with navy & yellow ribbon and yellow silk roses tied around the neck of the jar. A letter to the public explaining the project, as well as picture frames were provided to the kids to assemble and place along side the mason jar at various, local businesses, churches, etc.
In April, our guest speaker will be Mrs. Eula Moore, and she will be showing how to prepare roses and arrangements for the coming Flower Show at the end of April. We have many projects, events and field trips planned for 2006. The Rose-Budz will be helping at the Riverside Rose Society Rose Show, with properties, clerking and talking with future Rose-Budz at their information table.
During the growing season, the Rose-Budz will also learn about the care and maintenance of their own roses, including deadheading, feeding and some organic and biological ways of pest control by using ladybugs and preying mantis. I look forward to working with these young people and many new Rose-Budz I hope will join us. For more information, or if you have any questions to ask or comments or suggestions for the program, please feel to call me at 951/243-5647.
