Summer Picnic
Sunday, August 17, 2025 1-4 pm
Tioga Gardens Reflections Venue
2217 St. Rt 17C Owego NY
Get ready for an afternoon of food, fun and friends!
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STOS will provide burgers, hot dogs, buns, condiments, beverages and ice.
Bring a dish to pass, such as salads, desserts, snacks, dips, and chips. You may bring your own alcohol if you want.
Also please bring your own table service to avoid waste. We will have paper plates, cutlery, cups, napkins, just in case.
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Don't forget to bring your blooming orchids for 'show and tell' and to enhance the ambiance!
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Please RSVP (click below) by Aug 14 so we know how many people to expect. We are looking forward to seeing many of our members.​
September 21 Meeting
Meeting time is 2-4 pm with 'social time' 1:30-2:00.
We will have our fall auction at this meeting. If you have plants to donate, please contact STOSorchids.auction@gmail.com
Congratulations and Good Luck to Our Club Secretary,
Chris Higgins
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The STOS extends congratulations and gratitude to our Secretary, Chris Higgins, who has submitted his resignation to pursue an exciting new opportunity!
Chris stepped into the vital role of Secretary in 2025 at a time when we had no other volunteers, and for that, we are immensely grateful. His willingness to serve ensured that our club's meeting and executive board needs were met, and his contributions have been invaluable.
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Chris has been accepted into the cybersecurity program at the University of Utica. This is a truly exciting field, and as we all know, cybersecurity is incredibly critical in our society today. We wish Chris the very best of luck as he embarks on this new academic journey and career path. Come back and see us when you can.
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(And as you can guess, we now need a new secretary. Easy job.)
Meeting location:
Johnson City Senior Center
30 Brocton St. Johnson City, NY 13790
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Meetings are on the 3rd Sunday of each month and we are hoping to Zoom many of them. ​Meeting time is 2-4 pm with 'social time' 1:30-2:00. Refreshments, raffles and show table at most meetings.
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January 19 Speaker Ray Barkalow on "Orchid Nutrition"​
February 16 Speaker Tim Culbertson on "Holcoglossums-The Next Big Thing in Vandaceous Orchids"​​ Via Zoom only
March 16 Spring Auction in person, Speaker Clark Riley - Building a Greenhouse
This meeting starts at 1:00, social time 12:30-1:00
March 27-30 GROS Orchid Show​
April 12-13 STOS Orchid Show ​​
April 27 STOS General meeting
May 18 Repotting Workshop​
June-July-August Summer Recess​
August 17 Picnic ​at Tioga Gardens
Sept 21 Fall Auction - in person​
Oct 19 Vote for Officers, Speaker TBA​
Nov 16 Speaker TBA​
Dec 21 Holiday Party
Calendar 2025
Executive Board
President
Linda Mittel
Vice President
Ruth Allen
Treasurer
Joe Sniezek
Secretary
Vacant
AOS Representative
Polly Dillon
Members-At-Large
Jeff Hackett
Loi X Tran
Gail Gunsalus
Committee Chairs
Auction Committee Jane Trey, Jean Mint,
Jeff Hackett
IT Specialist Melissa Bennett
Librarian Laurel Shaefer
Marketing TBD
Membership Melissa Bennett, Anitra Murphy
Newsletter Editor Jeff Hackett
Program Coordinator Jean Mint
Social Event Ruth Allen, Jane Trey
Social Media Loi Tran, Renee DePrato,
Jean Mint
Show Chair Sam Hance, Jeff Hackett
Web Master Carol Bayles
Email addresses:
STOSorchids@gmail.com
STOSorchids.auction@gmail.com
STOSorchids.marketing@gmail.com
STOSorchids.membership@gmail.com
STOSorchids.newsletter@gmail.com
STOSorchids.shows@gmail.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SouthernTierOrchidSocietyNY
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/SouthernTierOrchidSociety/
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Newsletters
The STOS newsletter is now being sent to all members using an email, Constant Connect. This list is limited to STOS members with some exceptions. If you are a member and not receiving our emails, please let us know at STOSorchids.newlsetter@gmail.com. If you are not a member but would like to get on this email list, please contact STOSorchids.newsletter@gmail.com and let us know who you are and what email you would like to have the newsletter sent to.
Most STOS news will also be on this web site and we will attempt to include more information as well.
Habitat of Phragmipedium kovachi, undisclosed location
San Martin Department, Peru
Photo: Pablo Bermudez, Peruvian Orchid Club
Phrag. kovachi type
Spring Orchid Show 2025
A Great Success
The NEW VENUE, the Johnson City Senior Center, worked out very well for our Spring Show, April 12-13. We had record attendance and the vendors were quite pleased.
Special thanks to Jeffrey Hackett and Sam (Melissa) Hance for co-chairing and also thanks to many, many members who made this show a success.
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STOS had 2 exhibits plus 2 by individuals or small groups
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STOS won an AOS award for education for this display abut terrariums. The award really goes to our president, Linda Mittel, who put it all together.
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Linda Mittel also created this Mystic Orchids Landscape in her spare time.
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The Ithaca Bonsai Club Exhibit was a nice addition to our show
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GROS won many blue ribbons
Other Area Orchid Shows 2025
Here are the dates of shows offered by other Orchid Societies in our area. More info will be provided near the dates. If you would like your show listed, please contact us.
Jan 18-19 Central Pennsylvania Orchid Society (CPOS)
Jan 31-Feb 2 Susquehanna Orchid Society
Feb 14-16 Deep Cut Orchid Society
April 4 - 6 SEPOS (Southeastern Penn OS)
April 12-13 STOS
April 26 Mid-Hudson Orchid Society (MHOS)
Nov 9-10 Niagara Frontier Orchid Society (NFOS)​​
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