| Minnesota Bonsai Society Member Manual
Welcome to the Minnesota Bonsai Society. We pride ourselves on being one of the largest and most active bonsai societies in the country. This guide will introduce you to the programs and activities of the Society. All members are welcome to participate in any activity. Membership A one-year membership is $40 for one or more members of the same household. A renewal reminder will be sent near the end of your term. Your membership includes access to all MBS functions, activities, and the library, and a subscription to our monthly newsletter. All MBS members are assigned a member number, which will be sent to you on joining. The member number is used for identification purposes if you show trees at a public event or sell items at our auctions, so be sure to keep track of it. Your number also appears on your yearly dues reminder card. For security reasons we do not publish a membership list. Should you have questions about the membership or need help finding your member number, ask the membership chairman or a board member (see the newsletter for board contact information). The club’s mailing address is Minnesota Bonsai Society PO Box 32901 Minneapolis, MN 55432 We also maintain a phone line you can call with questions about MBS or bonsai in general. Calls go to an answering machine and will be returned as soon as possible. The number is 612-339-8808. General Meetings Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month (there is no meeting in January or July) at Hamline United Methodist Church, 1514 Englewood Ave., St. Paul. Our meetings are open to members, their guests, and visitors. The doors open at 6:30. Meetings start at 7:00 and generally last about 2 hours. Programs during the year include auctions of bonsai material, demonstrations by professional bonsai artists, interactive workshops, and social events. Feel free to take pictures, question the speakers, and generally participate. Library Our extensive library is available at the general meetings to members only. Not all materials are available at every meeting, so ask the librarian about books of particular interest to you. You may check out materials for one month. You will be asked to guarantee the book’s return with a credit card imprint or a signed check, which will be returned to you when you return the materials. Vendors There are usually vendors at meetings selling soil, tools, pots, and sometimes trees. Come early or shop during the mid-meeting break. Please be respectful of the program speaker and keep conversations and transactions brief and quiet during the program presentation. You may use cash, checks, or MC/Visa cards for MBS activities. Not all vendors accept credit cards. Name Tags and T-shirts We offer name tags, T-shirts, and work shirts with the MBS logo, and occasionally other fund-raising merchandise. Check for order sheets and vendor tables at the general meetings. Raffle We hold a raffle at most monthly meetings. All proceeds go to the MBS treasury and donations are welcome. Bring in a tree to show off at a meeting and get a free raffle ticket. Member Manual - continues |