The April meeting will be held on Saturday, the 13th at 9:00 am. It will be held at Thom B.'s home located in Paradise Valley.  Thom is the president of the Valley of the Sun Koi Club. He invited us to his house for a meeting and has graciously agreed to be our speaker this month! The topic of his discussion is "Maintaining a Healthy Pond". He will talk about pond cycles, water quality, the nitrogen cycle, how temperature affects the pond and blending fish and plants. He has a "dream" backyard with pool, spa, gazebo, playhouse and gorgeous, lush pond. The pond was originally built in 1997, contains 7500 gallons and is approximately 5 feet deep. It has a long, multi-step waterfall that drops into the main pond spanned by a concrete bridge. It houses many beautiful koi, mosquito fish, frogs and is guarded by a California king snake named Fred. It is filtered by two different Aquadyne-based filter systems, each filtering approximately 3000 gallons per hour! There is even a water jet in the pond that allows the koi to exercise in a strong current. In another area of the backyard are quarantine and hospital tanks. Please be sure to bring your lawn chairs and any plants to share.
 

MARCH MEETING REVIEW

As usual, it was a beautiful morning for our meeting. Helen and Laurie R. brought quite a few plants to share, so members bagged up plants, visited with each other and admired the pond until the meeting began. As members arrived, they were each given a ticket for a drawing. New members and visitors were welcomed, officers and volunteers were introduced and the treasurer's report given. Ed T. showed a sample polo shirt from a company that embroiders logos. Bids from several companies will be collected and reviewed before awarding the bid for embroidery. It was announced that a final decision needed to be made about an organization to receive a portion of the pond tour proceeds. Lucy B. suggested that we install a pond at a school. A discussion followed with suggestions also for a local hospital, the VA hospital or a nursing home. It was decided that more research was needed and that it would be a possibility for next year. The Hassayampa River Preserve was previously suggested in 2001 and again this year. It was voted on and approved. Amy and Dave S. gave a short background about their pond and answered questions. Tom H. mentioned that he thought GPPS should have more reference material available for the membership and public and asked how the rest of the members felt about it. Everyone seemed to agree. Brad J. said that there is a "links" page on our web site that lists several pond suppliers and suggested that anyone with other resources contact him by email or phone to add their ideas. Bert Feingold suggested that we start a library of resources (books, magazines, videos) that could be checked out. The drawing for a watergardening book was held and Gretchen Poulsen selected the ticket of Reuben A. CONGRATULATIONS, REUBEN! With no further business, the meeting was turned over to one of our "master ponders", Laurie R. She displayed her favorite tools: a hack saw and pruners. She also said that rubber gloves and waders come in handy. Laurie divided and repotted a hardy lily, an umbrella palm, a sedge, an iris and a clump of fiber optic grass. She is just amazing with that saw! It was suggested that she should have become a surgeon instead of a psychiatrist!! THANKS FOR THE GREAT DEMONSTRATION, LAURIE!
 
 

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

David & Bonnie C. ­ Phoenix

Gretchen P. ­ Gilbert

Todd R. ­ Scottsdale
 
 

POND TOUR UPDATE

YAY!!! We have signed up six ponds in the northeast valley (northeast Phoenix and northwest Scottsdale) to be on our 2002 pond tour! Our hosts this year are Frank & Claudia G., Clint M., Bob & Joan N., Mike P., Michael & Krista S. and John V. The southern boundary is Union Hills Drive, Dixileta Drive on the north, 32nd Street on the east and Hayden Road on the west. Two of the ponds are within walking distance of each other and two of the ponds are next door neighbors! BIG thanks go to all the hosts and also to everyone else that volunteered their pond (Please try again next year!).