Star Spangled Violets

Saturday Activities, Awards and more

Best in Show, Tomahawk by Dianne Good

A World Premiere

After the MAAVS general membership meeting, convention attendees and the AVSA executive board were treated to the world premiere of the first ever AVSA DVD - "A Fiesta of Violets". This DVD is now available for sale or rent in the AVSA library and is a tour of the 2004 Tucson National Convention show winners, the AVSA convention venue and the people behind all the activities. There was a second showing of the DVD to the Lone Star AV in Dallas, TX on Monday night following MAAVS. The Lone Star AV consisted of Lone Star membership as well as the AVSA board members who missed our MAAVS presentation. The image on the left is a TV screen capture of the DVD menu for "A Fiesta of Violets".

Growers Panel

Saturday was a busy day - lunch followed the DVD World Premiere then it was back to violets in a Growers Forum. Here Marie Burns is explaining how she gets her Harbor Blue to grow to two feet in diameter and win every award on the planet. MAAVS members were seen writing down every word that Marie spoke about growing huge show plants. At the right is the assembled panel consisting of moderator Barbara Stewart standing and seated panel members from left to right, Fay Wagman, Marie Burns, Rodney Barnett and Gary Gordon.

(Picture Left) Group pose of the growers forum principals, left to right Fay Wagman, Rodney Barnett, Marie Burns and Gary Gordon (Thanks to Belle Amoroso for providing the picture).

Awards Banquet

Show chair Marie Burns thanks the many people who helped her put on a successful show. MAAVS mini-quiz #1: At the left, is Marie holding Gary's hand because a)She's proposing to him, b)She has stage fright and he's re-assuring her, c)She's reading a prayer to him as part of a quit smoking campaign? On a more serious (?) note, Linda Abplanalp of Triangle AVS was the big winner of the night winning more ribbons, prizes and money than anyone. Here she has come up to receive her show awards in a light hearted moment.

Triangle AVS members won many, many, many awards. Here Libbie Glembocki (left) and Roxanne Shrewsbury (right) receive their show awards from Ken Barbi.

Dianne Good (left) and Rodney Barnett (right) were also big winners.

The AVSA Executive board poses for a picture at the Awards Banquet. Pictured are Gary Gordon, Jack Wilson, Janet Reimer and Nancy Hayes. Leaving the convention (photo right) with the table decorations are Carol Hamelink and Marie Burns.

"The Brats" Saturday Night Bash

Mary demonstrates her skills at the blender as Libbie tries one of the Margaritas. A part of the standard African Violet Brats convention gear is a good working blender. On the right Kitty dreams of giant African Violets nurtured by good strong Margaritas and how she and her Richmond club can ever top this at next years convention.

Gary Gordon, Janet Reimer, Nancy Hayes and Jack Wilson get a demo from Julie Gordon of the African Violet Brats website. Thanks to a High Speed Internet connection provided by the Radisson, Julie was able to go online live at the Brats party and hook up to the rest of the group for the most unique violet event of the year. Live around the world from party central at the MAAVS convention Julie presented the AVSA executive board. This is not your grandma's AVSA. At the right Belle captures the moment.

Brats Bash Threesomes

Gary Gordon managed to get a couple of ladies, Belle and Shirley, to join him in bed. In another threesome on the right, Mary, Fay and Libbie enjoy a drink and a pleasant moment.

Kinky bed jinx

How many people can you get on a hotel bed at the Brat party??? MAAVS mini quiz #2, referring to the photo on the right (click on it to make it bigger), what is the hook on the ceiling over the bed??? This looks pretty kinky. Maybe we don't want to know the answer :-)

A true violet aficionado will pull out his/her violet supplies and violet plants in the middle of a party for show and tell. You can tell by the admiration and smiley faces here who is hopelessly addicted.

The African Violet (Party) Brats

Thanks to the African Violet Brats for a wonderful party! Pictured left to right: Top row: Mary Mostofa, Jillene Dolister, Julie Gordon, Brenda Nyce, Heather Slusher, Belle Amoroso and Linda Rowe. Front row: Charlie Rowe and Donna Biggs