What Member Events and Benefits Does the San Diego County Orchid Society Offer?

Updated

SDCOS members get access to a members-only holiday party, discounted or coupon-backed volunteer roles at the fall show, and a monthly meeting that is free and open to the public. The clearest member-only benefit described on sdorchids.com is the December Holiday Party, which requires advance sign-up to receive a gift plant. Membership itself is promoted on the site alongside options to donate and subscribe to the newsletter, but the page does not list dues, a join form, or a benefits table.

Member-Only Holiday Party

The site describes the next meeting on Tuesday, December 2 as the Holiday Party, and states plainly that it is not open to the public — it is reserved for members and their guests, with one guest per member.

Detail What the site says
Who can attend Members plus one guest each
Start time 6 PM appetizers, 6:30 PM main course, 7 PM presentation
Food Potluck dinner; club provides Honey Baked ham, turkey, and non-alcoholic beverages
Sign-up Required — the site says sign-up is required to receive a gift plant
Program Main speaker presents a slide show of AOS awards

The practical takeaway: if the gift plant matters to you, sign up before the party rather than showing up as a member without registering.

Fall Show: Where Members (and Non-Members) Contribute

The Fall Show runs Saturday, October 24, noon–6 PM and Sunday, October 25, 10 AM–4 PM in Room 101 and Patio A of Casa del Prado, Balboa Park. Admission is free, and Saturday plant sales open at 10 AM, two hours before the show floor.

Members are asked to do two things:

  • Exhibit blooming orchids. Pre-register plants using the linked forms (Word file preferred) and use the show schedule to find the correct section and class. Plant check-in is Friday 10/23 from 2–7 PM or Saturday 10/24 from 8–9 AM.
  • Volunteer to run the show. The site says volunteers receive redeemable coupons as a thank-you.

Non-members are explicitly invited to help with the show as well, so volunteering is not a members-only path — but the coupon recognition is described as a volunteer benefit regardless of membership status.

Monthly Meetings: Open to All

Regular meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month in Room 101 of Casa del Prado, Balboa Park, and are open to the public. The format splits into two parts:

  • 6:30 PM culture class — a practical growing topic. The example given is Todd Ruth on breeding predatory mites to fight pests.
  • 7:30–7:45 PM main presentation — the example is Lou Jost on why orchids are so diverse, drawing on Andean miniature orchid distribution.

Because meetings are public, the monthly meeting is not a membership benefit in the strict sense — it is the entry point where non-members can sample the society before deciding whether to join.

What the Site Does and Doesn't Tell You About Joining

The homepage lists Join the Society, Donate to the Society, and newsletter access as actions, and PayPal appears as a payment option on the site. It does not publish membership tiers, annual dues, or a dated list of member perks. If cost or specific benefits determine your decision, treat the join page and newsletter as the places to confirm current terms rather than assuming from the homepage.

Choosing Based on What You Want

  • Want to exhibit or volunteer at the show: act before the pre-registration and check-in windows close; both members and non-members can participate.
  • Want the December party and gift plant: join and sign up in advance — attendance is restricted and the gift plant depends on registration.
  • Want to test the waters first: attend a first-Tuesday meeting at Casa del Prado; no membership is required.