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| OFA Short Course Attracts Horticulture Professionals From All 50 States and Across the Globe |
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Approximately 9,000 attendees traveled to Columbus, Ohio to participate in the 2010 OFA Short Course. All 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico were represented as well as 28 countries!
Attendees, speakers, and exhibitors alike were exicted and pleased with this year's lineup of 130 educational sessions and sold out trade show.
“I get so many PROFITABLE ideas from the Garden Center Idea Exchange that just attending that one session alone pays for my entire trip to the conference!”
-Josh Roggenbuck, MCN and owner of The Flower Farm, Bad Axe, Michigan
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| Project Anew Generates Smiles All Over Town |
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Coordinated by numerous volunteer florists, Project Anew, used donated product to create approximately 350 fresh floral arrangements. The arrangements were delivered to the Ronald McDonald House, Hospice facilities, and local nursing homes in the metro Columbus area. In addition to floral arrangments local groups benefited from plant donations.
Every one of our senior members were absolutely delighted with your gift. I wish you could have seen our seniors faces when they learned the flowers were for them – that alone would have made your week, too!
-Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus |
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| Did You Hear Someone Got Hitched at the OFA Short Course? |
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Each year we hear numerous comments about how beautiful the displays are throughout the convention center and we've not heard anyone express a desire to be married in one of them until recently. OFA staffer Jan Orick wed her beau Bill "Jake" Jaques (pictured left with Rich Batcho and Mary Jane Weals) in the beautiful garden display at the bottom of escalators near registration.
The wedding was well attended by friends of the bride and groom including OFA staff, volunteers, and board and committee members. OFA staffer Alicia Wells legally officiated the wedding with Mary Jane Weals, OFA staff member and longtime industry member, and Rich Batcho, chairman of the IP and Decorations committes, served as witnesses. Congrats to Jan and Jake!
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| Have an Idea or Suggestion for Next Year's Event? |
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The various committees responsible for educational development of next year's sessions and workshops will be meeting this fall and are interested in hearing from you.
What kinds of information do you need to make your business more successful? What are the upcoming trend topics? Who would be a great speaker? Let us know!
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