"Things Go Better with ... African Violets"

MAAVS 19th Convention

November 12-14, 2009
Williamsburg, VA


Get ready for our MAAVS annual convention.  We'll be in the heart of the Williamsburg Historic district thanks to some hard work and hotel sleuthing by Ken Barbi, Sue Hoffman, Judi Du Pont and Rich Follett. They relentlessly pursued venues for MAAVS and negotiated contracts to give us Deluxe accomodations at attractive prices.
Our host affiliate is the Tidewater African Violet  Society, Adrienne Topping president. Ken Barbi and Tom Glembocki are the Convention Chairs. Show chair is Judi Du Pont. Pat Knight is in charge of the schedule and staging.

Advertising

Advertise your business, club event, send birthday or anniversary greetings or any other wishes to all of MAAVS in the Convention Brochure. This keepsake is given to each convention attendee. We have a great deal for your message: A full page is only $25, half page $15 and Quarter page $10.  Make up your ad or message and eMail or snail mail it to tom at maavs.org, Tom Glembocki, 103 Downing Place, Apex, NC 27502.  If you don't have an ad formatted for printing,  tell me what you need and I'll create something for your approval. All money should be sent to George McDonald, MAAVS Treasurer. Please send Ads or text for ads to Tom Glembocki.. Ad deadline is Saturday, October 18, 2009.

Hotel

Our hotel is the Williamsburg Woodland Hotel and Suites in Williamsburg, VA. We have a pretty nice deal for MAAVS. $99 per night includes continental breakfast in the heart of the Williamsburg historic district!!!!

Call the Williamsburg Woodland Hotel and Suites at 1-800-261-9530  and use registration code 5660 to request your room at the special MAAVS $99 rate. Phone reservations can only be made Monday thru Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Williamsburg Woodland Hotel and Suites
105 Visitor Center Dr
Williamsburg, VA 23185

The following URL takes you directly to a reservation page to get our discount hotel rate!!!!
https://resweb.passkey.com/go/maavs5660

Woodlands Hotel guests have free use of the Williamsburg transportation system. In addition, if you are planning an extended stay and are going to tour some of the historic buildings, Williamsburg admission passes are $17 for hotel guests instead of the normal $45. You do not need a pass to eat in the historic restaurants or wander through the Historic district. Admission passes are required to tour the individual buildings.

Registration

Download and print the following registration form,  and mail it to Laurene Jones, MAAVS Registrar:

• "Things Go Better with ... African Violets"  registration form (PDF file)

While you're registering, don't forget to send in your club or business ad for the souvenir book. Details below.

Entries

If you're entering multiple exhibits, the following entries form will help speed the process along. Downlaod and print this entries form to fill out in advance.

• MAAVS 2009 Entries Form (pdf file)

Thursday Dinner

This is a great opportunity to get out and enjoy the Historic district. Hotel guests can use the Williamsburg transportation system free. There are several excellent restaurants in the Historic District. Christiana Campbells was George Washington's favorite restaurant. It still serves excellent food in a casual atmosphere. Other historic restaurants and taverns in the district are Chownings Tavern and the Kings Arm Inn.  Just beyond the Historic district is a commercial area with many shops and additional dining choices. The Williamsburg shuttles visit the commercial areas as well as the Historic district so enjoy your night out on the town!


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Costume Party and Friday Night Pre Dinner Function

MAAVS traditionally has a fun party on Friday night of our convention. This year is no exception except for a twist. Our Friday night dinner is going to be in the Historic District at Shields Tavern, a tavern run by James Shields in the 1740's. Logic would tell you that we should dress in Colonial Period costumes to reflect the ambiance of the venue but in the  Shields Tavern as well as all of the Williamsburg historic district the staff is already in period costume. Plan B is to reflect the theme of our convention, "Things Go Better With African Violets".  Choose your favorite commercial or commercial advertising and wear it!  Of course Prizes will be awarded for the most outrageous costume and most identifiable.

Since Shields Tavern is quite small by 21st century standards they can't accomodate our traditional cash bar.  To remedy the situation we will be having a pre dinner social hour in our hospitality area starting at 6 PM with MAAVS provided munchies and a "pour your own" wine bar with an honor system cash box (suggested $2 per glass) to defray the cost of the drinks.  At 7 PM we need to start boarding the Williamsburg shuttle to Shields Tavern for the short ride to the historic district. A Colonial Spit Chicken dinner will be served at 7:15 PM in Shields Tavern. Once seated in Shields, your server will be able to accomodate additional drink purchases, but at Colonial Williamsburg drink prices!
   

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Saturday Dinner (awards banquet)

We will begin Saturday night with a social hour at 6 PM with a cash bar in the foyer outside the Cascades banquet room. Dinner is at 7 PM with the award presentation immediately following.

Presentations

We have a star gilded lineup of the African Violet world presenting at MAAVS this year.  

An American Idol Comes to MAAVS, how our violets are point scored during judging.  We won't have Randy, Simon, Ellen or Kara but instead from Southern California,  Leonard Re will be conducting a fun session. Bring your Judges Handbook, some paper and a pencil!!!!

"Let's Grow Happy Gesneriads" is the title of a very educational  program by Dale Martens about growing and showing  gesneriads. THis presentation will also have a sneak peak of her hybridizing streptocarpus for smaller size talk at, the "Once and Future Violet", the AVSA 2010 convention in Raleigh from April 11-18, 2010. a

"How I Grow Chiritas" by  AVSA President Ron Davidson will present his oft-acclaimed chirita program featuring tips on basic cultural requirements, growth patterns, propagation and growing to show for chiritas. This is a chance to see one of the most celebrated programs in AVSA history right here in our own backyard!

Make your plans to come to Williamsburg now.

Event Schedule

The complete schedule of events for November 12-14, 2009:

• "Things Go Better with ... African Violets" Event Schedule as a web page [click here]
• "Things Go Better with ... African Violets" Event Schedule as a PDF file suitable for downloading and printing [click here]

Show Schedule

Things really do go better with African Violets. Pat Knight has designed a creative Show Schedule to show us how.

• "Things Go Better with ... African Violets" Show Schedule as a web page. [click here]
• "Things Go Better with ... African Violets" Show Schedule as a PDF file suitable for downloading and printing. [click here]

Advertising

In case you missed the Advertising section above, here it is again. We really need your club support to help defray our convention expenses!
Advertise your business, club event, send birthday or anniversary greetings or any other wishes to all of MAAVS in the Convention Brochure. This keepsake is given to each convention attendee. We have a great deal for your message: A full page is only $25, half page $15 and Quarter page $10.  Make up your ad or message and eMail or snail mail it to tom at maavs.org, Tom Glembocki, 103 Downing Place, Apex, NC 27502.  If you don't have an ad formatted for printing,  tell me what you need and I'll create something for your approval. All money should be sent to George McDonald, MAAVS Treasurer. Please send Ads or text for ads to Tom Glembocki.. Ad deadline is Saturday, October 18, 2009.

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Mid Atlantic African Violet Society
"Things Go Better with ... African Violets"

November 12-14, 2009
Williamsburg, VA