Dear Members of the PRS,

I can hardly believe it is already 2024! 2023 seemed to fly by! I am excited to be serving as your President and have many fun ideas to share with you for the year ahead! Please plan to come to our first meeting in January to hear all about it. Judy has a terrific meeting lined up to kick off the year.

After the whirlwind of the holiday season, January is an important time to stop and take stock of our gardens and create plans for the year. What worked well? What was a problem? What brought joy, and what brought difficulties? It is also pruning time, a time to renew and rejuvenate our precious rose plants and to think about saving labeled cuttings to start for our Annual Rose Show and Sale on 5/5/2024. The show plans are coming together nicely, so mark your calendars and plan to help out, exhibit, and have fun.

I have been a member of PRS for many years, but while I was working full time, I didn’t really get involved and only attended monthly meetings. Since I have taken on various leadership roles, I have personally benefitted greatly. I have gotten to know many of the amazing people who make our society so special, and I feel lucky to be able to learn from all of them. So, think about helping out in some way – it is your society, and it will give you what you put in.

As you can see with this simple format, we still need a Newsletter Editor, someone can take that help us for the remaining nine newsletters this year. If that is too much, there are many smaller roles – just ask and we can match you with something that is right for you. And of course, we hope to see you at our membership meetings. I hope 2024 will see everyone happy and healthy and enjoying their roses!

Best wishes for the new year,
Karen Flores