Hello Mary Sue and Members, I hope my intent and thoughts are not seen as anything other than ideas that steps I think we can take over time. There is not a burning desire to overturn 20 years of PBS. On the contrary , I firmly believe in the system. I think all the things we do are good. There were reasons that the group is organized as it is? Are they all still valid? I don’t know? What I do know is the things I’ve learned and members that I talk to on a regular basis have transformed my interests in plants. I have PBS members to thank for that. Do I want PBS to grow and improve yes, as all of us should. I am one person who wanted an engaging conversation on what can be. The key though is making sure we evolve. I have never thought we should start from scratch. I think some may recall when the discussion on what next after the list made sense…I shared our most valuable asset is the information we share “matter of factly” each day. Cataloging and organizing it was what I thought and still believe is important. So tearing down what we have built is not my intent. There are areas we need to improve and I hope the next set of managers finds some of my concerns of merit. However that’s my view and there are 200 + others. I have much respect for those who built the group, by the same token I look for the processes built into the system to allow for change. So my apologies to those who may have felt anything other than the passion of a member who thinks the world of PBS. It’s my hope that over time some of my ideas can be tweaked and worked along with the ideas of other members into actionable proposals. Everyone has a voice that has equal merit, Mike On Thu, Aug 10, 2023 at 8:32 AM Mary Sue Ittner via pbs < pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > As a long time volunteer for this group I want to thank all those people > who have posted words of encouragement for those of us who have > volunteered, who give of our time and skills with the hopes that what we > are doing will be of help to others. I worry that this thread will make > people less likely to volunteer. For a number of years I've posted that > there are only three of us now working on the wiki and we'd love to have > help. People often post valuable information and although it can be > found by searching the archives and the forum, if it were added to the > wiki page for the specific plant it would be really useful. There have > been many name changes. We can't keep up with them to keep the wiki > current. In spite of my asking, except for a few very brief times, it > remains the three of us and Martin is very busy with the forum and the > wonderful European seed and bulb exchange. David keeps everything > working smoothly. We aren't paid for our time. Can you imagine how > much it might have cost if PBS had had to pay someone to create the > wiki? The current board has people who are relatively new to the board > and a few who have served for a long time. Surely no one would suggest > getting rid of Jane McGary with her vast knowledge of bulbs who has been > doing membership for a long time after being President and now is > willing to be in charge of the nominating committee or Arnold who has > managed the mailing and the finances and been on the board since the > beginning. It is always good to have some people on boards with the > group history and for continuity. Hopefully anyone who wants to > volunteer will contact Jane with what they would like to do to help. > When I served on the nominating committee many years ago I was happy to > hear from people who were willing to help, even if it wasn't necessarily > to be on the Board. That's what nominating committees do, they try to > find people willing to help. > > Mary Sue > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > PBS Forum latest: > https://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbsforum/index.php/… > _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> PBS Forum https://…