Meeting Wed, Feb. 7th, 2018                                                                                                                  

Speaker: Vern Bloch
Topic: “Brassavolas, New Varieties”

Vern Bloch is a retired Navy pilot who first became interested in orchids after leaving the service in 1987. Two years later, Vern, and his wife, Helen, became owners of the Palm Bay Orchid Range and participated in many orchid shows around the state. They sold the nursery in 2004 but continue to do business on a small scale. For the past twenty years, Vern has conducted programs for numerous orchid societies ranging from the Florida Keys to North Carolina.

Vern will have Orchids for sale and will be happy to answer your questions
Meeting starts 7:00 – Doors open at 6:30.
Venice Community Center.

Dr. Antonio Toscano de Brito                                                                                                                    Topic: Newly Discovered Orchids of Brazil
We’re fortunate to have Dr. Toscano de Brito return and share the latest in his world travels searching for new orchids and studying how they create new species in response to diverse environments. For our newer members, Dr. Toscano received his PhD. from the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, lectured at Harvard University, and participated in the Global Plants Initiative. He continues to be active at the Marie Selby Gardens in Sarasota where he heads the Selby DNA Monitoring Unit and frequently travels to Brazil where he is now a “Special Visiting Researcher” at Parana University.
He is the world’s leading expert on the more than 4,000 species of Pleurothallids, mainly found in South and Central America. His lively presentation will be illustrated with many photographs from his friend and co-worker, Dr. Wade Collier, who accompanied him on his most recent trip and who also volunteers at Selby. Dr. Collier will provide tips on orchid photography in challenging environments. Following the presentation, Dr. Toscano will entertain questions from the audience and perhaps share a favorite recipe or two from his time in Brazil as owner/chef of the “Orchidarium”, a Brazilian/Portuguese restaurant.

VAOS Holiday Dinner Party
Friday Dec. 8, 2017                                    
Boca Royale Country Club
1601 Englewood Rd. (Rt 776)

5:30pm Happy Hour with Cash Bar
Dinner 6:30pm
Followed with an Orchid Auction
and dancing to the music of George DeJong

$25pp
Dinner options: Prime Rib, Chicken Piccata, Grouper, Vegetarian/Vegan: Vegetable Stir Fry
RSVP:ASAP to social@vaos.org

Make check out to VAOS
[attach your menu choices]
mail to: PO BOX 443 Venice, FL. 34284-0443
Or sign up at our November 1st meeting