Administrators of the ABS's Clayton M. Kelly's Seed Fund
The Margaret Lee Branch of the American Begonia Society is an active, vibrant but small group of individuals that love Begonias and other shade loving plants. We actively grow, study and research begonias, their Family Begoniaceae and other plants.
We administer the American Begonia Society's Clayton M. Kelly's Seed Fund . Members are encouraged to pollinate and collect seeds on their plants for this activity.
Members play an active and valuable role in the programs of the branch. Programs include discussion and study of a member's adopted SOS (Species Of Study) plant, the branch's SOS, studying plants within a specific Section of Begoniaceae, Show and Tell and an exchange of cultural information, plants and cuttings.
We meet the fourth Saturday of the every month at 10:30 am. We meet at members' homes or at our unofficial home The KOLZ Begonia Research Center. There is a brief business meeting, and two program/study sessions separated by lunch. Members bring their lunch and the host provides beverage (champagne) and dessert. The November meeting is our "Souper Meeting", which namesake Marge Lee started when she would serve soup at the meeting, usually the Saturday following Thanksgiving, and we celebrate at our December Party.
With a motion by Thelma O'Reilly, the branch unanimously voted to donate $500.00 to the KOLZ Begonia Research Center at the February 2010 meeting. Thelma announced that her husband, Tim, would match the branch’s donation. A presentation of the checks was made at the March 2010 meeting held at KOLZ. This is the branch's second $500.00 donation to the Center to help build and progress its mission.
Clayton M. Kelly Seed Fund Dean Turney- Administrator
Michael Ludwig- Seed Packer
Members pictured above at the opening of The KOLZ Begonia Center 2006: Julie Garafolo, Denise Knoblock, Marla Keith, Inge Foo, Ed Bates, Walter and Ruth Pease, Dean Turney, Janet Brown, Thelma O'Reilly, Michael Ludwig, Eleanor Caulkins