About Us

Website of the North Island Rhododendron Society

About our Society

The North Island Rhododendron Society, a Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society,
was founded in 1984 with the society's charter received on October 20, 1984.
There were 13 founding memberships, including our current members
Gwen Wright and Judith Walker..

Membership interest grew almost as fast as the plants, and by the summer of 1985
there were 26 regular memberships and 4 associate memberships.
In recent years, our annual membership has averaged about 60 regular with 5 associate members.

Our chapter is one of seven chapters in British Columbia, including four others on Vancouver Island
and two more on the lower mainland.

With funds raised through plant sales and garden tours, in 1996 the members decided to enter into a major project by building and maintaining a community rhododendron garden. On April 11, 1996, the North Island Rhododendron Society joined with the City of Courtenay, in the "Partners In Parks" program which allowed the club to begin work on the garden.

Located along the walking path between the Historic Train building on Cliffe Ave. and the Courtenay Airpark, the garden is ideally situated for maximum public enjoyment. The garden consists of 7 beds, containing over 130 varieties of rhododendrons. Our first bed was completed in April 1996. Through hard work and donated plants the seventh bed, known as the "BOVI" bed (Born On Vancouver Island), was built in October 2006 and officially opened in May 2007 (see photos on our Gallery page.) This specialized bed contains only those rhododendrons which have been hybridized here on Vancouver Island

Although the garden is an ongoing maintenance project, our members enjoy the sring to fall work parties which have become somewhat of a social gathering.

In October 2006 the new 'BOVI' bed was created.

In 2016, the 'BOVI' bed is dramatically different!

MEMBERSHIP AND CONTACT INFORMATION:

Regular annual membership (which includes couples) is currently $35 CDN,
while an associate membership is only $10 CDN
(Associate members must be a regular member of another chapter.)
Application forms are available and accepted at our monthly meetings.

At our AGM held each May, some director's terms expire and elections are held to fill those positions.
Terms are for two (2) years, and commence on July 1st each year.
Below are the officers for this year's term.

2016 - 2017 Board of Directors:

President:	Judi Murakami	(250) 338-4601
Vice President:	Maureen Denny	(250) 890-0522
Secretary:	Carolyn Chester	(250) 619-5864
Treasurer:	Claudia Ellis	(250) 337-8516
Director:	Fran Thornton	(250) 339-3754
Director:	Ruth Fowler	(250) 890-9448
Director:	Jill Gould	(250) 331-1859
Director:	Wolfgang Hoefgen	(250) 339-2271
Director:	Lois Clyde	(250) 337-5754

POSTAL ADDRESS:

North Island Rhododendron Society
P.O. Box 3183, Courtenay, BC V9N 5N4

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