Riverside Rose Society disbanded. Coleen Berlin. Raincross Rose Society member. February 10, 2018.
RIVERSIDE ROSE SOCIETY...
where roses and people have been blooming for fifty-two glorious years
The Riverside Rose Society is an award-winning rose society, with members who are dedicated to achieving excellence in "all things roses". The Society meets on the first Tuesday of the month (except for June, July, August and December) at 7:00 P.M. at the Conference Room of the Botanic Gardens at the University of California Riverside. During the months of June, July and August, the Society meets for potlucks at members' homes. In December, members meet for their annual Christmas Party and Installation of Officers at area banquet facilities or a member's home.
In May of 2008, the Society passed a milestone in its history...the celebration of its 50th Anniversary as a rose society...the third oldest in southern California. An entire week of events took place to commemorate this remarkable achievement. Then-President of the Society, Bonnie Brokaw, presided over these events, which included a Mayoral Proclamation by the Mayor of Riverside proclaiming the week of May 4-10, 2008 to be "Riverside Rose Society Week"; a Golden Anniversary Banquet at the Mission Inn; the laying of roses on graves at the Riverside National Cemetery ("Day Is Done Honors"); a fundraiser at Fairmount Park entitled, "A Golden Evening in the Rose Garden"; and an ARS-sanctioned rose show at the Mission Inn entitled, "Riverside Rose Society's Golden Oldies Rose Show". Mr. Jeffrey Ware, Executive Director of the American Rose Society in Shreveport, Louisiana, was the Society's special guest throughout the week.
In addition to its Golden Anniversary activities, the Society also conducted pruning demonstrations in January, held rose care seminars at area Lowe's stores in April, headed up the Rose Division of the Riverside Flower Show later that same month, and took donations in July to benefit California Citrus State Historic Park. At the end of the year, Keep Riverside Clean & Beautiful of the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce bestowed on the Riverside Rose Society the esteemed Lady Bird Johnson Award for the Society's "education and beautification activities since 1958". It was the first time in the history of the Society that it had won this prestigious award.
Not an organization willing to rest on its laurels, Riverside Rose Society is busier than ever in 2010. In January, the Society held its annual pruning demonstrations at local nurseries, and in February, began a series of member-conducted educational presentations as part of the K-I-S-S program which stands for "Keep It Simple Sweetheart". In April, Riverside Rose Society will once again be heading up the Rose Division of the Riverside Flower Show, and on May 1, will hold a fundraiser, a Victorian Tea, at the home of President Lee Stevens. Monies from the Tea will be used to help defray the costs of the Society's activities and programs. One of those programs, entitled, "Roses Rock!", started by President Stevens, is intended to bring the world of roses to children in the age group of 4th grade. The launch of the program which took place last year at Emerson Elementary School in Riverside, California, was met with great enthusiasm by the children and their teachers, and this year promises to be even more so.
