Orchid Dinner Comments/2004
I thought it would be fun to start by sharing a posting I found from
seven years ago:
Tucson Trekkers
Tuesday, January 21, 1997
Hi Trekkers,
The following is a list I have of those that indicated a
desire to attend the 1st annual Orchid Tucson Trekkers dinner.
Those names with a 'X' behind them have confirmed attendance.
The dinner will be held Friday January 31, 6:00 PM at
'Lillies' resturaunt in the Downtown Holiday Inn. Ask for the
Orchid group when you arrive. We have a private dinning room to
the left as you enter the resturaunt. We have the room for the
evening.
Friday night the special is a seafood buffet. The price is
$16.99 + tax and 15% gratuity (about $21.00). The managment
has asked that someone in the group collect the monies & pay
the bill; please have the correct amount of cash available.
Here's the list. X = confirmed.
Dave & Jan Arens x
Elizabeth Bowlin x
Susan Chenoweth x
Joan & Steven
Candy Glaze x
Hemi Englisher
David Horn & Guest x
Richard Laspada
James Marker
Cindy Moore x
Gayle Morris x
Robert Ringold
Thanks,
Dave
From 15 people to over 300 in six years. That’s an average of 82%
growth per year.
As I was looking through the archives last week, thinking back on
the various threads I’ve read over the years, I got a kick out of how
many subject lines include the word “HELP!” But whether it’s as
elementary as “Student with Questions,” as sophisticated as
"Platinum casting with new centrifugal machine," or as offbeat as
"Street Jewelry and Konichiwa," Orchidians are out here every day
sharing knowledge, compassion, technique, humor, a little kvetching
once in a while, and more knowledge.
We all know how unusual it is for jewelers to share technique. At
one point someone suggested to me that Orchidians share knowledge
because the internet makes it all seem so removed, and therefore
safe. I disagree. My experience of this community is much more
authentic than that. My experience is of acquaintances who have
taken time to become friends, and over the years have developed a
vested interest in one another’s’ well being.
People who study family dynamics will tell you that the measure of
the health of a family is how much talking is going on, and what that
talking is about. If the family is talking at all, it is likely to
be in a healthy place. If the family is talking about things that
lead to good decision making, creativity, and growth for each of its
members, then the family is among the strongest of families.
It’s a good time to be a part of a strong family. The past few
years have given us some difficult times, and during difficult times
it’s important to have people around you to bolster you up, help you
solve problems, and help you create more business. Looking ahead,
I’m betting on the next five years being a time of a positive
economy, full of opportunities for growth and creative ventures.
Being part of a strong family during good times is equally powerful.
Together we can build more business than we can do individually. The
collective creativity of this group astounds me. Every conversation
with a fellow Orchidian seems to turn into a brainstorming session.
Orchidians offer one another insight into areas that would benefit
from improvement. We bring one another new customers, and new
vendors, and new business partners.
So, what is Orchid? Well, it’s “guild-like” in that we all share
common trade and are interested in protecting our mutual interests,
“family-like” in that we share a common space - albeit a virtual one
- on nearly a daily basis, and “friend-like” in that we have all
chosen to extend to each other our trust. That’s Orchid to me. This
evening, this party, is our mutual celebration of this
guild/family/friend community that we have created together. So
thank you. Thank you for being a part of my life, and for
letting me be a part of your life.