About

At least 2 members are needed for this committee. The duties include soliciting and visiting prospective gardens, ideally just after the current year’s tour, to determine suitability of the property to accommodate large numbers of visitors.  Once the garden locations are arranged, the Committee coordinates with the Marketing Committee for production of brochures and to develop an advertising plan. The Garden Tour Committee assists the Marketing Committee with distribution of brochures, arranges for volunteers to represent the Society at each of the gardens, and coordinates the pre-tour viewing and event. Since the OHA insurance only covers OHA members, it is necessary for the committee to ensure that adequate insurance is in place on properties that are open to the general public. This committee is active for several months prior to the June garden tour, with the bulk of work in April to June. The Committee Chair is responsible for ensuring any expenses are kept within the allotted budget, and providing timely reports to the Board through the appointed Director Liaison.

This committee requires 1-2 members, and is primarily active during the month of May. Its responsibility is to coordinate the materials and volunteers necessary to staff a booth at the Lions Club Home Show. The purpose of this committee is to introduce children to gardening by helping them pot up a free annual plant.  The Committee is responsible for purchasing bedding plants, potting soil, small pots and paper bags for the children to take home their plant. The Committee chair is responsible for ensuring any expenses are kept within the allotted budget, and providing timely reports to the Board through the appointed Director Liaison. 

This committee of 4-6 members coordinates all advertising for the Society. It is active throughout the year, and ensures timely promotion of planned events by coordinating with relevant committees. This committee ensures that arrangements are made to advertise on the Grand 101’s Swap Talk, in the Wellington Advertiser, on Centre Wellington websites and on social media platforms. The committee is also responsible for maintaining the website, preparing and publishing the annual member brochure, and communicating to the membership via emails. The Committee Chair is responsible for ensuring any expenses are kept within the allotted budget, and providing timely reports to the Board through the appointed Director Liaison.

The membership committee requires 2-3 members, and is responsible for signing up new members, collecting annual membership dues, maintaining a current list of members, and arranging for the printing of membership cards and name tags. The membership committee is active all year round. Membership arranges for a representative at special events such as seedy Saturday, the plant sale and the garden tour.

The plant sale committee requires 2-3 members to organize the May plant sale and report to the board and membership. Most of the work occurs between March and May of each year. Committee members coordinate activities with Marketing and Membership, organize the volunteers who pot up prior to the sale, ensure that enough pots and tags are available for potting up, arrange for adequate numbers of volunteers for the day of the sale, and keep track of all expenses, receipts and volunteer hours.  The Chair is responsible for ensuring any expenses are kept within the allotted budget, and providing timely reports to the Board through the appointed Director Liaison.  

This committee is usually active from about late September to November, and requires a chair and a team of 3-4 other people.  The first duty is to pass out a list to the membership to solicit the various foods for the potluck. The society pays for the turkey, ham, punch, and other refreshments. The society also pays for the centerpieces, gift baskets, tablecloths, serviettes, and other supplies. Members are asked to bring their own dishes and cutlery. The committee needs to arrange for volunteers and a coordinator to purchase supplies and make the centerpieces for the tables. On the day of the AGM, the committee needs to coordinate activities in the kitchen of the Legion, prior to, during, and after the potluck. The Committee Chair is responsible for ensuring any expenses are kept within the allotted budget, and providing timely reports to the Board through the appointed Director Liaison.

The program committee requires 1-2 members, and is active throughout the year. It is responsible for arranging speakers for the monthly member meetings. The slate of speakers for the following year must be finalized by mid-November of each year, so that the slate can be published in the annual brochure and on our website. The Program Committee is responsible for ensuring that the appropriate audiovisual equipment is made available at meetings. The Committee Chair is responsible for ensuring any expenses are kept within the allotted budget, and providing timely reports to the Board through the appointed Director Liaison.

This committee is composed of 1-2 members, and is responsible for soliciting applications for two $500.00 awards, each of which will be given to an elementary or high school  in Fergus. The intention is to provide a fund to promote environmental or horticultural activities, which may include clubs, initiatives, special events or programs.  In mid-October of each year, the Committee will prepare a letter to be sent to the schools soliciting applications, with a deadline for submissions of mid-December. Once the submissions are received, the Committee members may conduct an in-person evaluation of the submissions with the applicants. The Committee will then will bring their recommendations to the Board for final approval. Once the awards have been approved, the committee will notify the recipients. The expectation is that the award will be for projects or initiatives that take place during the school year of September to June, so that there is no need for maintenance over the summer vacation. If there are no appropriate submissions in any year, then the awards will not be given.  Each year, priority will be given to schools that haven’t previously received an award.

Each year, the committee will liaise with the Marketing Committee to prepare an article for submission to the Wellington Advertiser in order to raise awareness of these grants.

This committee is a joint committee between the Fergus & District Horticultural Society and the Elora & Salem Horticultural Society. This committee is active from September to March of every year. Currently, there are three members of this committee, who coordinate the event, which is held at a local venue. . As soon as possible, the committee should determine a budget projection for inclusion in the annual budget for each of the two societies. The committee is responsible for soliciting sponsors, vendors, guest speakers, and collecting seeds for the free exchange table. The Committee Chair is responsible for ensuring any expenses are kept within the allotted budget, and providing timely reports to the Board through the appointed Director Liaison.

This committee requires a chair and 1-2 other members who are responsible for organizing the show schedule and clerking for the horticultural and photographic competitions held at member meetings. Other members may assist with set up. They are active in November to develop show schedules and categories for publication and on the website, and to arrange for judges for each of the shows. They are then active during the months when shows are held, i.e. April or May, June, and September. On the day of each show, they arrange the show tables, ensure participants have entry cards and forms, and record the judge’s results. Photography submissions are digital, and are submitted according to the show schedules, judged in October, and announced at the January members meeting. The Committee Chair is responsible for ensuring any expenses are kept within the allotted budget, and providing timely reports to the Board through the appointed Director Liaison. Any workshops related to shows will be under the direction of this committee.

This committee consists of a chair and 1-2 other members, and coordinates the refreshments for the plant sale in May, and the 2 summer coffee events. The society owns 2 coffee urns for this use, as well as some serving pieces. Members are asked to ‘lug a mug’.