by Leon Vandenberg
December, 2018
At the last meeting, I went over the many projects with which we have been involved and I was overwhelmed by the many members who devoted time and effort to Club projects. I start with Tracy Waterman, who each year organizes the Short Course. Our Vice President, Pam Hepp, for the outstanding speakers we have had over the past year. Pam also has been instrumental with our educational outreach. We are lucky to have Frank Linton with his knowledge of using technology in the beehive. Frank not only helps us with the scales in the bee yard, he also gave a talk at one our meetings on the use of technology to gain information about our bees. This year, more mentoring was available in our bee yard. For this, I give a shout out to Steve McVeigh, Jed Jaffe, Maureen Jais-Mick, and Mark Thiessen.
How can I not mention what Jim Fraser and his sons James and Andrew mean to this Club? Our biggest annual outreach is the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, and it is Jim, assisted by James and Andrew (additional volunteers are listed below), who organizes the Honey Show and honey sales. Volunteers are key to making the Fair work, and this year 76 of you filled every shift and spoke with thousands of visitors. In spite of the Fair being scheduled during the same week as the Eastern Apiculture Society (EAS) conference, we had a good representation from MCBA at the EAS. Patti Wong was our representative in the organizing of the EAS.
In September, Brookside Nature Center held its Honey Harvest Festival. Steve McVeigh and Andrew and James Fraser (again assisted by Club members) made sure that the event was a success (additional volunteers are listed below).
Elections are over, and we are sorry to lose Marie Rojas as she steps down from the Board of Directors, but she has accepted a new position as Up County Member Liaison. Marie will also continue her articles on bee plants on the website. I am confident that Max O’Grady will do a good job as our newest Director.
In 2018, we also said thank you to Christopher Lewis, who stepped down after providing meeting refreshments for the past three years, and Dara Ballow-Giffen, who stepped down as editor of our newsletter after more than four years. Warm thanks to Frank and Jill McCowan who are hosting our Holiday Party again this year.
2018 has been a good year. I saw so many new members and volunteers who make Montgomery County Beekeepers Association special. I know I have missed many names, as there are so many of you. I cannot thank everyone enough. Here’s to a wonderful New Year, may it be even better than the last. I hope to see many of you at the Holiday Party and at our monthly meetings in 2019.
2018 Honey Harvest Festival Volunteers included:
- Andrew Fraser
- James Fraser
- Pam Hepp
- Jed Jaffe
- Maureen Jais-Mick
- Rob Jenson
- Jamie Langlie
- Paul Langlie
- Stefan LoBuglio
- Frank McCowan
- Steven McVeigh
- Sharon Metcalf
- Debbie Pappas
2018 County Fair Volunteers included:
- Jonathan Affeltranger
- Jeffrey Beck
- Kameha Bell
- Norma Bell
- Ursula Chomon
- John Crissey
- Carla Dinowitz
- Terry Dowdy
- Luba Dowhaluk
- Germy El Geziry
- Don English
- Paul Erickson
- Andrew Fraser
- James Fraser
- Jim Fraser
- Heather Fuentes
- Diego Gaudenzi
- Andy Greig
- Len Greig
- Pat Greig
- John Gruehl
- Charlee Hardy
- Dillon Helfers
- Lou Hepp
- Pam Hepp
- Rachmat Hidajat
- David Howard
- Mara Hurst
- Michael Hurst
- Jed Jaffe
- Maureen Jais-Mick
- Rob Jenson
- David Jerome
- Christopher Kashuba
- Jamie Langlie
- Christopher Lewis
- Stefan LoBuglio
- Sierra Madden
- Jennifer Maroney
- Jill McCowan
- Chuck McQueen
- Mary McQueen
- Steve McVeigh
- Roger Metcalf
- Jean-Paul Miller
- Eileen Morgan
- Michael Morgan
- Max O'Grady
- Elizabeth Olson
- Stefanie Ottenstein
- Deb Pappas
- Kimberly Pfirrmann-Powell
- Ryan Pfirrmann-Powell
- Elaine Rodrigues
- David Roe
- Marie Rojas
- Job Rop
- Genevieve Sanchez-Howard
- Jeff Scott
- Dana Semmes
- Guy Semmes
- Tom Soileau
- Bruce Strand
- Linda Sumpter
- Lynne Tauber
- Mark Thiessen
- Amanda Tinbe
- Judy Treible
- Donald Van Ryk
- Leon Vandenberg
- Eric Vesper
- Warf Vesper
- Susan Vogel
- Jack Wassell
- Tracy Waterman
- Heather Whirley
- Joseph N. White
- Carlie Williams
- Katie Williams
- Patti Wong