AUGUST MEETING

The August meeting will be held on Saturday, August 11 at 9:00 am.  We will enjoy air-conditioned comfort in the Sonora Room at the Quality Suites located at 3101 N. 32nd Street in Phoenix (602-956-4900).  GPPS is going to spend some of the treasury and furnish breakfast for the members this month!  There will be breakfast pastries, fruit, juice and coffee.  Bring your appetites!!  At the January meeting, we had a great time showing off our gadgets and inventions.  We will do that again at this meeting so that the new members can gain from our brilliant ideas.  Please bring any gadgets you love, inventions you've designed, products you can't live without, etc. and you will have a chance to play Show & Tell!  (At the July meeting, a CPR demonstration was mentioned, but that will be scheduled for another meeting.)  We have permission to bring plants to share!  Please do not bring them into the meeting room.  There will be an area outside where they can be left.  There is no need to bring your lawn chairs this month as chairs will be provided.  Hope to see you there!
 

DIRECTIONS:

From Phoenix and areas north:  Take SR 51 south and exit at Thomas Road.  Head east and go past 24th Street.  Turn north (left) on 32nd Street.  Quality Suites is 2 blocks north of Thomas on the east (right) side.  Enter through the front lobby door and the meeting room will be straight ahead.

From the East Valley:  Take the 202 west and exit at 32nd Street.  Head north and go past McDowell and Thomas Roads. Quality Suites is 2 blocks north of Thomas on the east (right) side. Enter through the front lobby door and the meeting room will be straight ahead.
 

JULY MEETING REVIEW

Although it was a warm morning, we had a great turnout for our July meeting.  We had many new members at the meeting and also several visitors.  The house is designed after a 500 year old French olive pressing mill.  With the house in the background and beautiful pond and yard, we truly felt that we were having a meeting in France (except for the temperature!).  The meeting opened by welcoming new members and introducing the executive committee.  Brad J. explained that our microphone is in for repairs and set up a bullhorn to use.  A report was given on the pond tour.  Then, the meeting was turned over to Grant Rinquette, the caretaker of the pond and landscaping.  He gave a brief description of the pond and then talked about lotus.  He said that lotus can DEFINITELY be grown in the Valley and answered lots of questions.  Below is what we learned about growing lotus:
 

• Buy and plant lotus tubers in February or March. 
• Tubers can be planted in dirt or unscented, non-clumping cat litter.
• Be careful not to break any of the growing tips off the tuber
• The pot should be about 6" under water. 
• They do best with morning sun and afternoon shade. 
• Fertilize with lily tabs about every 3 weeks and stop fertilizing in October. 

THANK YOU

A big thank you goes to Sylvia A., Jo H., and Amy S. for volunteering to bring refreshments.  I believe some other members brought goodies, and we would like to thank them also.  Your help is appreciated!
 

Welcome New Members

David & Dottie D. - Scottsdale
Grace & David H. - Fountain Hills
Jean L. - Chandler
John L. - Tempe
Sherry M. - Tempe
Joseph & Claudia M. - Phoenix
Betty M. - Phoenix
Ralph & Linda P. - Phoenix
Daniel & Jackie R. - Phoenix
William S. - Phoenix
Peter & Madeline S. - Glendale
 

Planning Ahead

Believe it or not, it's time to start thinking about 2002!! Is there something you would like to learn more about? Have you been someplace that would be a great place to hold a GPPS meeting? Would you like to have a meeting at your house? Do you know someone who would be a great speaker? If any members have suggestions for speaker topics, meeting places, field trips, etc., please contact Dianne. (see the "membership & contact info" link above)
 

Congratulations!

GPPS members Brian C. and Annette A. (now "Annette C.") became husband and wife on June 9, 2001.