Southern Chapter

President’s Message

Happy Spring everyone!

I am hoping everyone is doing well, taking proper precautions and staying safe and healthy during this unprecedented time. Let’s pray for speedy containment of the virus and minimal disruptions to our work.

To distract your attention for a bit, let me tell you about some of our activities and milestones. It has been a busy winter for the chapter.

Giving back to Southern Chapter Members . . .
Southern Chapter is hosting a social media giveaway for a free registration to National Symposium “Vision” in Chicago. This promotion is open ONLY to Southern Chapter AIFD and CFD members in good standing. Please visit AIFD Southern Chapter on Facebook and Instagram for more information.

Helping candidates that want to become AIFD . . .
In January, we partnered with Florida State Floral Association to provide a mock certification exam for folks wanting to practice for the PFDE and/or to obtain their FL Master Florist designation. Many thanks to Bob Tucker AIFD and to the FSFA board for their warm hospitality and for all they did to create the perfect space for our joint event. Thanks also to Sue Bain AIFD, Michael Whaley AIFD, and Angelyn Tipton AIFD for coordinating that event and volunteering their time and resources to make the event a huge success. Special thanks to our National President, Jackie Lacey AIFD who could not stay for the critique session – but spent a significant mount of time evaluating and writing detailed notes to each of the candidates.

The mock exam followed the same guidelines, rules and evaluation criteria and used comparable products. They were asked to create designs using the PFDE categories – Wedding, Sympathy, Flowers to Wear, Arrangement and Designer’s Choice.

In the critique session, the evaluators talked about each table, provided feedback on what the candidates did well and gave advise on how to improve their designs. The candidates were extremely grateful for the guidance and thankful to AIFD for providing the experience. For those of us that went, it was hard work, but a very fulfilling experience and great time. I anticipate one day welcoming the participants into AIFD.

We are grateful to our sponsors: Carlsteads Pensacola, Smithers-Oasis, Miss Daisy’s Events

Building relationships with State Associations . . .
This year, the board instituted a “Sponsor-A-Designer” program to help our regional state associations bring AIFD designers to their conventions for stage programs or workshops. This program was one way for the chapter to build better relationships with our associations. Under “Sponsor-ADesigner” Southern Chapter provides one award a year to an association that expresses interest. In order to qualify, the associations must identify an ambassador who will work with the AIFD board as liaison. In this way we hope to create joint programs and support each-others’ projects. For 2019-2020, the award went to FSFA who brought in Jackie Johns AIFD to do a program at their Mid-Season Convention. The deadline to apply for the 2020-2021 award is June 15.

Preparing SAIFD Students for competition at National Symposium . . .
On February 21-23 Aisha Crivens AIFD, Donny Johnson AIFD, Michael Whaley AIFD and I travelled to Bowling Green Kentucky to conduct a student education weekend for our newest SAIFD chapter at Western KY University. Linda Speer AIFD participated in the planning process but was not able to attend.

The weekend began with a hospitality dessert reception Friday night followed by 3 workshops the next morning. On Sunday, we organized a student competition following the same formats, guidelines and judging criteria as the competition at National Symposium. After the competition, I gave a program on armatures while the scores were being tallied.

Congratulations to all the participants on a job well done and to the winners:

OVERALL WINNERS
1st Place: Hope Reed
2nd Place: Hannah Price
3rd Place: Rosie Hunt

Many thanks to Roger Dennis AIFD and Western KY University for hosting this this event and to our sponsors: Halstead Wholesale, Smithers Oasis and Rebel Hill Florist

Promoting AIFD . . .
The Southern Chapter board was all set to go to the NC Museum of Art in Raleigh for the annual Art in Bloom festival that was scheduled for March 19-22. That event, was unfortunately postponed due to health and safety concerns for the nearly 20,000 guests that attend, the museum staff and designers.

Since 2017, Southern Chapter has designed a major floral installation as one of the 6 focal areas within the museum. This platform, with the AIFD sign and the impressive displays our talented designers have created over the years, has been a wonderful opportunity for public awareness of AIFD. We are very sad that Sue Bain AIFD was not able to install the fabulous design she and her husband spent countless hours creating the structure for. We are hoping to be able to participate for the rescheduled time period.

2020-2021 has some very exciting activities planned. Please keep up with events on our social media platforms – AIFD Southern Chapter on FB and IG.

Until next time, please stay safe and healthy

Terry Godfrey AIFD, CFD, EMC
Southern Chapter President 2019 – 2020