Overview of CVIDS' 2020 by President Nancy Rash:
It was an unusual year for CVIDS members.  The January 2020 meeting was cancelled due to snow and ice. The February meeting had great attendance with double the programs.  We were serious about the planning details of the Region One Summer Meeting. Then, COVID restrictions meant we canceled the March and April meetings and the May plant sale open to the public.  Determined to hold our annual club daylily plant distribution the committee brainstormed options to still select plants and created a relay system to create drop off and pick up points for the club plants.  Social distancing with masks did create some welcomed contact with fellow members. We sure hope to hold the postponed plant auction in the spring of 2021.  The next decision was to hold or cancel the 2020 Region One Summer Meeting planned for July 10-12, 2020.  Members were asked for input and after much deliberation,  it was decided that the best decision was to cancel the summer meeting.  It was extremely disappointing after the planning and anticipation of hosting our daylily friends in Region One. Thank you to all Region One members supporting our decision to cancel 20/20 A Perfect Daylily Vision.   Our planned Open Garden hosts for the Region One Meeting still held Open Gardens in July plus other members were added to the list.  With several weekend dates, members were able to travel to see many beautiful gardens.  

CVIDS has long held in August a second plant sale open to the public, a club meeting and club daylily plant return and auction and silent auction of iris plants (we are the Cedar Valley Iris and Daylily Society), all in the same long day.  Members supported the decision to cancel the day’s events.  Another disappointment but the iris committee put together an email silent auction with delivery so the iris could be planted before fall.  

But before the silent auction was held, we experienced the derecho in Iowa with Cedar Rapids being the hardest hit area in Iowa.  Many members throughout eastern Iowa and over the state line into Illinois suffered damage with extensive losses.  Trees and limbs down, a car and truck hit by a tree and extensive home damage was reported.  The loss of tree canopy will change the amount of sun and shade now provided in some gardens. One member related how her hybridizing tags blew away!  Lots of unknown x unknown seedlings!

I was hoping that by October we could hold the annual hybridizer roundup.  It was decided not to meet in person and the hybridizers were able to share photos via our CVIDS website.  We recognize club members that are eager to show the seedlings from their hybridizing program. 

The Cedar Valley Iris Daylily Society was organized in 1990 and we have 8 of the original charter members.  2020 was our 30th anniversary.  We were busy with the Region One Meeting planning and the opportunity to celebrate our 30th anniversary had not been planned. The virus and the derecho both postponed or eliminated the chance for a celebration.  

Our annual and final celebration of the club year has been the Fall CVIDS Banquet and Photo Contest.  A speaker and plant auction is the highlight. The decision was made to not hold our final event and meeting of the year.  It was another disappointment but CVIDS members are tough and will be eagerly waiting new opportunities in 2021 for the Cedar Valley Iris and Daylily Society. 

Happy 50th Anniversary to Keith and Sally!
Sally and Keith Riewerts will celebrate their 50^th wedding anniversary on December 26, 2020.  It is a milestone anniversary in an unforgettable year. 

Message from Nancy (12/21/2020):
Hello CVIDS members, it will soon be Christmas and I want to share with you a story about Christmas stockings created by Sherry Moffit for her family.  We have talented CVIDS members and it is fun to share what is happening with our membership.  I am the Washington County (volunteer) Hawk-Eye Editor for Our Iowa Magazine and even though I’m looking for Washington County stories, Sherry’s story was perfect to submit to Our Iowa.  I loved seeing the stockings in person (last January, Pre-COVID-19).  I hope you enjoy reading the story.  The magazine has in the past also published photos taken by Sherry.  

Last summer my dad told me again how much he wanted to have the story of his high school coach submitted to Our Iowa Magazine.  When Lyle and I were up to see him in June, he told us the story (again) and I wrote it up as he told the story to us and submitted to Our Iowa Magazine with his name on the story (Joe Rash).  We were so grateful to have the story published in the December 2020/January 2021 issue as Dad is now in a care center in hospice care.  (Last story on the page)

 I tell you this because with lots of time indoors ahead of us, you too can be thinking of ways to share stories and photos that are meaningful to you.  If you do not receive Our Iowa Magazine, borrow a copy from your library to read.  They are always looking for photos and your daylily gardens offer many photo opportunities.  Take a look at past photos and be planning photos you can take come summer of 2021.  These are great activities that can be done while practicing social distancing.  The website and magazine have your instructions for submitting to Our Iowa Magazine. 

The Fall 2020 Daylily Pioneer has been sent via email to ADS Members.  Jonathan Poulton has posted the Daylily Pioneer to the Region One website.  Do take time to read about other clubs in Region One and to see what CVIDS accomplished in 2020.  

CVIDS dues are due and are $10 per person for a one-year membership.  Please send your check to:  Shelly Lett, 1673 Garfield Avenue, West Branch, IA  52358

Our CVIDS Board Members met on December 18, 2020 via Zoom and are looking forward to exploring new avenues for members to contribute to the club.  Minutes are attached.  We are also hoping Zoom can be a method we can use to engage our membership until we can meet again in person.  We would like to know how many members would participate. 

Here are three questions for you to answer and reply to me.  Put your name behind the response that fits you.  This will help me tally the answers:

1) I have used Zoom and would participate in a Zoom program for CVIDS.

2) I have not used Zoom but am willing to learn so I can participate in CVIDS using Zoom.

3) I do not want to participate in a Zoom Program.

Happy Holidays!  Happy New Year! Nancy Rash, CVIDS President

Virtual Hybridizers Roundup:
We have three hybridizers who have collected some great photos of their promising plants.  Heather Harroun, the Pappenhouses and the Riewerts.  Please see the Hybridizers Page for their updats and some great memories of other great and beautiful plants.  Special thanks to Heather for collating and sending along!

ADS Cultivar Awards Announcement:
On October 24th, the American Daylily Society announced the 2020 Cultivar Awards.  They are to be posted on the ADS website but they are not there yet.  Here is a link to the  YouTube Presentation (There is an actual YouTube channel for the Society!)  Take a look after you view the presentation.

Condolences:
The mother of Ginger Pruess, Esther Diehl, passed away on September 10, 2020, at Cedar Manor in Tipton, Iowa. Please keep Ginger and her family in your thoughts.

Robert Little of West Liberty, passed away on September 12. 2020. Bob and wife Marilyn and daughter Gretchen were all Charter members of CVIDS. Please keep Marilyn and Gretchen in your thoughts.

The mother of Sherry Moffit, Doris Lockridge, passed away on September 14, 2020. Please keep members Sherry & Lynn Moffit and family in your thoughts. Thank you for remembering our members at this time of loss.

2020 Betty Miller Photo Contest (9/6/20):
Our annual Betty Miller Photo Contest was started in 2006 in honor of Past President and hybridizer Betty Miller. She had a passion for photographing daylilies and mentored several CVIDS members on how to take good photos. Her photos were featured in “Eureka” and daylily catalogs from 2001-2004.

Photograph Contest: Entries to be received by November 30th.

This year's categories are:
(1) ”Red” daylily category, in honor of Verne Moore
(2) Iris
(3) Large flowers
(4) Doubles
(5) Unusual forms and spiders
(6) Clumps
(7) Landscapes (photo must include daylilies or irises)
(8) Hybridizers’ 2020 seedlings
(9) Novelties (e.g. garden sculptures, birdhouses, animals, etc., but the photo must include daylilies or irises)
(10) Gerald's Ruffles, added in 2019 in honor of Gerald Hobbs

Rules are as follows. Submit entries to Mary Jo Duffy at 2630 Newport Road NE, Iowa City, IA 52240. No additional fancy modifications (e.g. framing or computer filters/colorization) may be made to the photo, but cropping and centering are allowed. Size to be submitted is a printed 4”x6” photo. Names of photographer, flower and category must be on the back.  There is a maximum of 2 entries per category per person.

Message from Nancy (6/16/20):
Hello to CVIDS Members.  I am enjoying the beautiful weather and hope all is well with you and your gardens.  I received a message from Val Hoefer, Region 1 American Daylily Society President, and need to let you know of an open opportunity.  The Region 1 Editor for the Daylily Pioneer has resigned and a new editor is needed.  It is a paid position with $750 paid for producing the spring issue of the Daylily Pioneer and $750 for producing the fall issue of the Daylily Pioneer.  The fall issue is digital and the spring issue has been printed.  Kathy Lamb was using Constant Contac for the distribution.  She will help with the transition when a new editor is found.  If any CVIDS member is interested, please contact Val Hoefer at:  hoefrv@gmail.com.  Val would be the best person to ask about details if you are interested in the position or if you want to learn more about the opportunity to be involved in the Daylily Pioneer.  You can view the Spring 2020 issue of the Daylily Pioneer at:  http://www.ahsregion1.org/.   

CVIDS members shared their gardens last year with several weekends of Open Gardens.  Heather Harroun is already planning an Open Garden for Saturday July 4th 9am-2pm, Sunday July 5^th noon-4pm and again Saturday July 11^th 9am-2pm and Sunday July 12^th noon-4pm. Visitors are asked to observe social distancing, but masks are not required as you will be outside. If anyone wants to come outside those times please text Heather at 563-554-0028.  Thank you Heather for sharing your garden. 

We plan to send out a July newsletter and will put your Open Garden dates and times in the newsletter if you want to invite CVIDS members.  I have been watching my daylilies and new scapes are appearing every day.  This would be an opportunity to showcase your garden and see CVIDS members.  Be sure to include any social distancing information and if you want folks to wear masks.  Each person has their own comfort level now with COVID-19 and we want to be safe and practical.  I will need your address and directions if navigation/GPS systems will not get us to your garden.   If you can provide me with your Open Garden information by June 24^th we can get the word out to the CVIDS membership in a timely manner.  We will provide a complete list of the open gardens so you can plan to see as many as possible.  Members that live near each other may want to coordinate dates and times.

Take care and enjoy the sunshine.  Nancy Rash, CVIDS President

Message from Nancy (5/31/20)
Dear CVIDS Members.  It is a beautiful day and I hope you are outside enjoying the perfect temperature and the colorful flowers.  I am emailing and mailing the newsletter this month.

Lyle included lots of photos this month and we want to say again how much we enjoyed seeing members when we participated in the CVIDS Club Plant Distribution.  Thank you to everyone that is working on CVIDS “Business” even though we are unable to meet.  Members have posted some very nice photos on face book too.  Thank you for sharing. Nancy Rash, CVIDS Club President

Message from Nancy (5/19/20):
Dear CVIDS Members, our 2020 Club Plant Distribution was completed with some new features this year.  Many thanks to Barb and Bob Papenhausen and the crew that helped sort and label and plant the extra club plants and then deliver and distribute. Here’s the address to see details about the eligibility, etc. to acquire a CVIDS club plant:  CVIDS Handbook.  Enjoy your 2020 Club Plant and note your responsibilities for keeping the plant and returning in two years.

Sam McCord has let me know that his wife Mary is now in hospice care. Sam has provided care for Mary at home and now after a stay at St Luke’s Hospital, she is at the “Views of Marion”, a care center. Mary’s address is Views of Marion, 720 Oakbrook Dr., Marion, IA  52302.  Notes and emails would be appreciated.  This is very hard for Sam so keep both Sam and Mary in your thoughts.  Sam can be reached at:  Sam McCord, 3425 Sycamore Court NE, Cedar Rapids, IA  52402. 

I am looking forward to our next CVIDS “event”.  Enjoy the summer and stay safe. Nancy Rash, CVIDS President

Plant Distribution and Key Dates:
Please read the May Newsletter. It has many updates and the procedure for this year's club plant distribution process.  It will be low contact (no getting together), Barb will call members for their selection on Friday May 15th and on Saturday May 16th plants will be available at "nearby" member's home or delivered in other areas.  Review the 2020 Club Plant Pictures and use the 2020 Plant List to rank your wish list. 

As you may already know the National Meeting has been cancelled.

CVIDS is being asked to host the 2023 Region One Meeting.  More to come!


Regional Meeting - What's next (4/7/2020):
Dear CVIDS Members, the American Daylily Society Region One Meeting for 2020 is officially cancelled and Val Hoefer, Region One President, and her leadership team are charged with the future Region One Summer Meeting schedule.  Keith Riewerts, 2020 Chair, has been asked if CVIDS would like to host in 2022 or 2024. 

We are asking the members of the Cedar Valley Iris and Daylily Society if you are willing to participate and plan again for a Region One Summer Meeting?  Your comments, feed-back and “Vote” is needed for us to make a commitment for a future year.  We hope that a pandemic of the proportion of the coronavirus will never occur again. 

The Central Iowa Daylily Society will host the Region One Summer Meeting in 2021.  No contracts are in place for the year 2022 so that is an option for CVIDS to host.  We could wait and the next year open for us to host is 2024.  Which year do you think we should host? 

Here are some items to consider:

1) Some daylily clubs are thinking about a different format or location because of concerns about hosting as they have in the past.  Do we need to look at other options?

2) Are you willing to make a commitment to be on a committee? 

3) Were you planning to attend the Region One Meeting in July 2020? 

4) Are you willing to be on a garden tour? 

This email is being sent to all members and to make it possible and manageable to evaluate the comments from members, we are asking that responses are to Nancy Rash, CVIDS President and Keith Riewerts, 2020 Chair.  Please respond to nrash2000@gmail.com and rkrkrkr@netins.net when you respond to this email.  Our membership total was 104 on April 1 and we are expecting to hear from each of you.  It will take a team effort to plan to host again. 

We would like to respond to the Region One leadership team within a week.  We would greatly appreciate a response by April 13 if possible.  This message will be posted on face book but please do email your response to Nancy and Keith. 

This has been extremely disappointing to cancel in 2020, but we are optimistic you will want to host a Region One Meeting in the future. 

Sincerely,

CVIDS President Nancy Rash
Keith Riewerts, 2020 Region One Summer Meeting Chair


Nancy's Message (3/18/2020):
Dear CVIDS Members, this is a very uncertain time for many but Val Hoefer, President, Region One of the American Daylily Society sent optimistic news today.  The 74^th Annual ADS National Convention at Savannah, Georgia is still on the calendar.  The Conference Hotel is making it possible to “wait and see” and keep the conference on the schedule without any penalties for cancelling.  While the hotel rooms can be cancelled anytime up to 24 hours before arrival, hang on to your rooms!  You may not be able to rebook at the discounted rate, if you cancel right now.  There is now flexibility to put off the final decision for six to seven weeks.  The intention is to host the convention unless the government shuts it down.  What a positive outlook and we all hope the convention can go as planned.  Lyle and I have reservations and have been looking forward to our 2^nd National Convention.  Let’s all hope for containment of the COVID-19 virus.  Washington County now has reported a first case.  My Dad will be 95 on April 5^th and we had to cancel his birthday celebration.  It is disappointing but we all want to follow the guidelines to keep all persons safe and in good health.   Nancy Rash, CVIDS President

Information from Joy Adams:
James Adams Jr. age 81, died Saturday, March 14, 2020 at the Monticello Nursing and Rehabilitation Center following an extended illness. Jim donated his body to University of Iowa Department of Anatomy for research. Funeral services are currently planned for 11:00 Saturday, June 20, 2020 at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello, where friends may call after 9:30. (Please check the website; Goettschonline.com for any changes in date and time.) Memorials may be made to the Iowa National Heritage Foundation at https://www.inhf.org/  or the Michael J. Fox Foundation at https://www.michaeljfox.org/donate.

He is survived by his wife, Joy, 2 nieces Kathy (Pat Devaney) Adams, Marcia (Tony) Kraus, and 2 nephews, Mike (Lisa) Adams, Scott (Jennie) Adams and many great-nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother Dick.

James Charles Adams Jr. was born October 2, 1938 at the John McDonald Hospital, Monticello, Iowa. He was the son of James and Kathryn Pillard, Adams. Jim graduated from the Monticello Community Schools in 1956. He went on to serve in the United States Army. Jim married Joy Ann Miller on August 7, 1978 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Monticello. Jim started his working career as a teenager working for the Scotch Grove Nursery. When he was a junior in high school he convinced his parents to let him start a nursery on their acreage on the north edge of Monticello. Jim also started a construction business as a young man, and built over 200 homes in the Monticello area. He continued to operate the nursery until the mid-1980’s as well.

Jim loved nature and the earth. In 1962 he purchased 22 acres in Richland Township that was going to be developed and turned it into his homestead and nature preserve. In his contracting days he helped develop the Jacobs Park area. He was instrumental in the design of Riverside Gardens and the nature trail. He and Joy hosted many garden walks and were co-founders of the Cedar Valley Iris and Day Lilly Society, and the Dubuque Regional Hosta Society.

COVID-19 anyone?
I hope everyone is doing well in this very weird and interesting time.  As we practice social distancing and hoard our TP there are a few more things happening in the club.  As you already know our March meeting was cancelled in order to protect our membership and follow the CDC recommendations.  I have recieved the 2020 Club Plant Lily Powerpoint from Barb via Keith also the spreadsheet (in PDF format).  We have some really nice plants for the membership who get to select a plant and for the free-for-all afterwards as we bid on the leftovers. 

On a more somber note, Joy Adam's husband Jim passed away.  He donated his body to the University of Iowa Deeded Body Program.  A memorial is in limbo at this time with the restrictions for gatherings. Please keep Joy in your thoughts during this difficult time.

Leap Day Catastrophe!
Hello, this is Mary Jo at the helm.  Unfortunately, the transition has hit a snag for this WebMaster.  The entire site needs to be migrated to my account.  This is not a small task.  So, I am going to be doing it bit by bit.  The number of files and the size is VERY LARGE, even the guy at GoDaddy was impressed (or flabbergasted).  I am going to start with the more recent files and start going back.  On a less dire note you should be seeing the email with the newsletter coming soon.  Please note the following:

CVIDS will meet at 11 AM for Region One Planning on March 14.   Committees can use the time to meet and make decisions for the July Region One meeting.  Keith Riewerts has asked that members “be able to tell what they plan to donate to the silent auction. It might be garden art or a favorite garden tool or a trip to Hawaii or even money to be used to purchase something special."

Much Going On at Our February 8th CVIDS Meeting!
Our first club meeting of the year took place on February 8th at the Johnson County Extension Office (3109 Old Highway 218 S, Iowa City). This was an important meeting to attend as we needed members to volunteer to work on our club activities. Sign-up sheets were available, thank you to all who signed up.

Keith Riewerts, Chair for our 2020 Region One Meeting, went through the volunteer opportunities where we will use our talents to put on a great performance for “20/20 A Perfect Daylily Vision”. Keith provided an overview presentation of what needs to happen for implementing the 2020 Region One Summer Meeting. It is still acceptable to contact Keith and tell him where you would like to volunteer. Conference registration forms were available, please fill out and bring next month, to  commit to attending July 10-12, 2020. We hope CVIDS members show their support now by registering early for the Region One meeting. More information is available at: http://www.ahsregion1.org/

At noon, we had our delicious potluck meal and social time with friends we have not seen since the November Fall Banquet. “A Tale of Two Countries” by Jonathan and Susie Poulton was presented to the group. Jonathan and Susie traveled to England and Germany, and we are happy they will share photos and stories of their trip. And to get us thinking about daylilies, Jackie Westhoff presented “Continuous Bloom vs Re-blooming Daylilies". The CVIDS business meeting followed these programs.  

How About Setting Aside Your Snow Shovels for a Moment and Think "Sunshine, Warmth, Friends and Daylilies"!
Yes, it's high time to think about registering for the AHS/ADS Region One Summer Meeting that will take place in Cedar Rapids, IA, on July 10-12th. Keith Riewerts and his great team have been working hard behind the scenes to bring about "20/20 A Perfect Daylily Vision". Don't miss out on the fun! Click here to access the meeting schedule and registration form. Also, if you are not already volunteering to help run the event but would like to do so, please contact Keith (RKRKRKR@netins.net; (563)-285-8941).

WINTER GARDEN FAIR - February 15th, 2020:
CVIDS will be having a booth at this year's Winter Garden Fair run by Iowa State University Extension & Outreach Linn County Master Gardeners.  Dave Kramer will be leading our team. Please note that this event has a new location this year.  It is the Kirkwood Community College Linn County Regional Center:  1770 Boyson Road, Hiawatha, IA  52233.  It is easy to find being just off an I-380 exit. 


Ring in the New Year with CVIDS January 2020 Newsletter!
Nancy and Lyle have been hard at work again! Please click here to access the January 2020 Newsletter. Thank you, Editors! One of the key components of the Newsletter is our Bad Weather Policy, which is repeated here: We always worry about traveling in bad weather. No meeting is worth attending if your safety is at risk. Sometimes a storm is localized, in which case the meeting may be held by those who can attend. However, if a major storm is forecast, one big enough that nearby events are canceling in advance, you should consider our meeting canceled. If this happens, the Board will make every effort to notify members via e-mail, our website, and Facebook. If in doubt, don’t set out before checking these sources of information. For those not connected to the internet, a club officer will telephone with relevant information. We plan to post on the website a cancellation notice by 8 AM the day of the meeting. We thank Mary Jo Duffy and Susie Poulton for being part of this team that makes the notification.


2020 Club Plant Qualifiers:
Thank you to Joyce Parsons for compiling this year's list. Please remember that you need to have your 2020 dues paid by April 1st to claim your plant!

Membership List Update:
The CVIDS membership list has been updated as of December 31st, 2019. If you have any questions or concerns about your membership status, please contact Susie Poulton (j.poulton@mchsi.com).

Back