An E Newsletter for Selby Gardens Volunteers JANUARY 2016 Volunteers are encouraged to provide news tips and stories for Inside Dirt. If you have something to share, please contact Vera Neumann Wood at volunteer@selby.org. or contact Diana Schultz at terra06@embarqmail.com (please specify subject as Selby ) Dear Selby Gardens Volunteers, First of all, let me wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year! As I write this column, weather can not be any better!! chilly in the morning, a bit warmer at lunch time, marvelous for a lunch date at the Selby Cafe, and chilly again in the evening. We ve started our New Year at the Gardens on the right track with the initial orientation process of 35 new volunteers! As this was my first orientation (orientations are scheduled in January, May and September) I m VERY impressed with the group of diverse and knowledgeable people willing and interested in offering their life experience and skills to benefit our Botanical Garden. Among them we have professors, store owners, accountants and librarians, from Michigan to Colombia to New York to Sarasota! It will be part of my job to interview them and to find the perfect spot that will match the Gardens needs with the volunteers skills. Looking forward to be able to place so much talent around our various departments. Preparations are also fully underway for our participation at the 2nd Sarasota Music Half Marathon, to happen on Sunday, February 7, starting at 7am. For the Music Marathon we ll be counting with the assistance of 42 of our SUPER special events volunteers, who, alongside Carmen Baskind, our Associates President and me as their captains will cheer and guide more than 3,000 runners 1
through Selby as part of their course. Picture opportunities galore. To follow the progress of the event, please go the Marathon s website, www.sarasotahalf.com We have so much planned in terms of trainings, classes, tours, lectures as we embrace our new customer service engagement model. Volunteers are a vital part of the perception audience and members have of our beautiful Botanical Gardens. I ll continue to email you with our the opportunities of continuing learning. Please let me know if you have questions about the trainings. Please make sure to read about them a little bit further in this edition of INSIDE DIRT. See you in the Gardens and THANK YOU for volunteering. Presentation of Bruce Holst, Director of Botany to our new volunteers. 2
Guided tour through the Gardens with new volunteers. PLANT AND GARDEN FESTIVAL 2016 Saturday and Sunday, February 27 & 28, 2016 All hands on deck for this year s Plant & Garden Festival! This is Sarasota s original plant sale. In addition to plant vendors and displays by the Ikebana and Bonsai Societies, we ll offer live music from 1 4 on both afternoons. We re seeking volunteers to help our guests and customers with admission, finding their way, working cash registers at the sale, getting their purchases to their cars, and more. We also 3
need help with vendor and volunteer check in starting at 6:00 AM on Saturday and 7:00 AM on Sunday. To volunteer, email volunteer@selby.org OTHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Membership Desk: We are going to staff a special register in the Welcome Center to process our members. We now need 7 10 new volunteers to train for Welcome Center reception. If you have always wanted to work there when there were no openings, now is your chance. Survey Volunteers : Fun, easy, flexible! We seek volunteers who are willing to commit to at least two shifts per month conducting surveys in the Gardens. This is an easy job and offers wonderful flexibility. Call Emily at (941) 366 5731 ext. 267 or email grants@selby.org Administration : If you have an open schedule, we are looking for someone who can be a last minute substitute for our reception volunteers. Horticulture : Gardening positions are still open on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Tracy Calla is looking for someone with expertise in bromeliads and orchids for the greenhouse. Education Department : The Education department's children's programs could really use recycled paper towel tubes or even gift wrapping tubes. (not toilet paper tubes) Volunteers Positions Available contact mshelley@selby.org Family Programs Volunteers School Tour Guides Walk & Talk Guides Tropical Conservatory Guides Ask Me Cart Volunteers Museum Docent 4
2 nd ANNUAL HALF MARATHON Coming to the Garden near You! WAKE UP YOU EARLY BIRDS. Selby Gardens will be the site of a portion of the Sarasota Music Half Marathon on Sunday, February 7, 2015. We need your enthusiasm to welcome and support the runners as they run the big loop through the Gardens. For more details go to www.selby.org SO COME OUT TO CHEER THE RUNNERS!!! VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION AND TRAINING SESSIONS Much has changed at the Gardens in the past year and as we move towards a model of meaningful visitor engagement we plan to do the same with you to engage and educate our volunteers along the way. Experienced volunteers who did not attend the visitor engagement volunteer training in November are required to attend the session that we are offering on Jan.14 from 8:45 10:15 in the Great Room by the Bay. " How to Win Friends and Influence People" As we head into high season, we're looking to fine tune interactions with our guests, fellow staff & volunteers. The session is a combo of two seminars "Attitudes For Service' and 'Effective First Impressions'. You will receive an invitation from Vera to RSVP. Please be aware that following the Jan. 6 orientation and leading up to the Jan. 17, 18 & 19 engagement training sessions, you will likely have new volunteers shadowing your tours/shifts. Please help us welcome and orient this new class and know that staff will share vetted collections content and information with them. January 22, from 9:00 10:30 in Botany and the Library. A Training session about the Bibliographic and Preserved collections in a behind the scenes visit to the 5
herbarium, the molecular lab and the botanical library with the botany team. RSVP jcox@selby.org limited to 30 people reserve soon! Finally, in case you don't already know about these educational resources, you may find some information of interest: Weekly ABC 7 segments http://www.mysuncoast.com/community/selby_gardens/ Selby's youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/selbygardens Selby's online blog: http://selby.org/blog/ HOUSING FOR VISITING SCIENTISTS AND INTERNS The Gardens is in need of housing for visiting scientists and interns. We are looking for a rental within walking/biking distance of The Gardens to house our guests. Ideally, we'd like a place that can sleep 2 4 people with a small kitchen. The Programs departments have guests slated to arrive beginning in February with a steady stream through the end of the year. If you or anyone you know have a place nearby and would be willing to rent to The Gardens, please contact Jeannie Perales at jperales@selby.org or call 941 366 5731 ext 237. Selby's visiting scientist/international internship program has been a part of The Garden's mission since 1977. The program provides a hands on learning experience ideal for those planning to work in fields related to sub tropical horticulture and botany, environmental education, taxonomic and ecological research, as well as management of nonprofit organizations. Since its inception, the program has hosted more than 215 interns and countless professional scientists. Former visiting researchers have moved on to become directors of botanical gardens or managers of their own nurseries and plantations. International post graduate students Patricia and Monica working at Botany s Lab 6
LECTURES NEW AMERICAN BOTANICALS WITH DR. MATTHEW McLENDON is scheduled for January 13 th from noon 1 in the Great Room by the Bay. Join Dr. Matthew McLendon, The Ringling Museum s Curator of Contemporary Art for a discussion about the artist as botanist. We are proud to host MF Cardamone s exhibit, New American Botanicals inspired by the unique plants and cultural traditions found at Selby Gardens and within the state of Florida. The exhibit is on display in Selby s Museum of Botany & the Arts through March 3. FOR THE LOVE OF ORCHIDS with Dr. Antonio Toscano is scheduled for February 17 th from noon 1 in the Great Room by the Bay Selby Gardens' own orchidologist, Dr. Toscano debrito has a passion for orchids. This complex family of plants has inspired poetry, romance, perfume, edible delicacies and well, love. Treasured by both pollinators and people, orchids possess a lure more complex than perhaps any other flower in the history of the world. Join Toscano as he sheds light on the mysteries of the orchid family; its myriad forms, its undeniable beauty and its splendid scents. Little Sprouts Garden Treasure series for preschoolers and their families continues through May, 2016 in the Children s Rainforest Garden from 10:30am 11:30 on the first Thursday of each month, and the subsequent Friday and Saturday that follow. February dates are the 4 th, 5 th and 6 th, inspired by Sunflowers Galore! Bring your little sprout and join us for family fun! NEWS FROM THE ASSOCIATES Spring 2016 is going to be an exciting season for the Associates and Selby Gardens! The Associates luncheon programs for Spring are: January 18 Exploring The Mystery of the World We Live In by Jeannie Perales. A fresh look on Marie Selby s history, as well as that of Selby Gardens. 7
February 15 Michael Klauber, of Michael s on East, will discuss wine and food pairings. March 11 Orchid Show Keynote Lecture sponsored by The Selby Associates. Marc Hachadourian, Curator of the Orchid Collection, at The New York Botanical Garden. Tickets are available on line. April 18 Selby s own Indiana Jones, Bruce Holst will be sharing his expeditions over the past year. May 16 The luncheon will be held at a surprise location for the Induction of Officers and Directors. Be sure to mark your calendar for these dates, as well as all of the wonderful Happenings at our special piece of paradise. EXHIBIT IN THE MUSEUM OF BOTANY AND THE ARTS New American Botanicals: The Art of MF Cardamone runs from November 20, 2015 to March 3, 2016. The artist s colorful, modern and fanciful mixed media botanical illustrations combine hints of traditional herbarium specimens embellished with digital imagery, inks, and hand drawn touches, resulting in completely inventive and wholly unique works of art. 8
FREE AND DISCOUNTED CLASSES Please note: To secure the special prices listed below; active volunteers must register and pay in advance of class at the Welcome Center or on our website. http://www.selby.org/learning/classes Orchids 101 Friday, January 15, 10:00 am 12:00 pm Instructor: Monroe Kokin Member, $35; Non member, $50 Special Volunteer Price: $30 Print the Gardens February 17 & 18, 10:00 am 3:00 pm each day Instructor: JoAnn Migliore Campisi Member, $70; Non member, $90 Special Volunteer Price: $60 Bromeliads in the Landscape Saturday, February 20, 10:00 am 12:00 pm Instructor: Maureen McCracken Member, $35; Non member, $50 Special Volunteer Price: $30 WHAT S IN BLOOM by Terri Tumlin Happy New Year. The garden is lovely with many blooms to enjoy. This month I toured the north end of the garden around the Mansion. 1 On the curved walk in front of the Mansion, the crucifix orchid (Epidendrum radicans) has small bunches of intricate orange and yellow flowers to examine. 9
2. On the same path, but to the north, firespike (Odontonema cuspidatum) lives up to its name with bright red clusters of blooms. 3. Going to the garden just south of the Mansion, the crinum lily (Crinum asiaticum) specimens have delightful white flowers showing off. 10
4. Go toward the bay to find the delicate light yellow flowers of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). 5. Turn back toward the street and find a lush vine of Thunbergia grandiflora draped over the wall with lively light purple flowers. The secret of improved plant breeding, apart from scientific knowledge, is love. - Luther Burbank 11