# AOS membership-- Is it worth it?



## aquacorps (Dec 11, 2008)

My AOS membership is up for renewal in a few months. Last night I looked at a recent copy of Orchids. It was mostly ads. I am really having a hard time thinking of any reasons to be a member of the AOS. Any thoughts? Rusty


----------



## nikv (Dec 11, 2008)

I've been a member for almost twenty years. I still find it a valuable resource for informative articles and the latest-and-greatest orchid stuff. It's entirely up to you, but I would renew.


----------



## NYEric (Dec 11, 2008)

I was wondering the same thing; but w/ so many magazines in the stores and only a couple on orchids available I decided it was worth renewing.


----------



## Candace (Dec 11, 2008)

Your AOS membership also gives you a discount on the award fees. I don't know if you show your plants, but that is a consideration.


----------



## goldenrose (Dec 11, 2008)

and gives free parking to most botanic gardens!
Did you respond to the email & snail mail notice to contact them regarding current info for a future members directory? They also try to sell you a member's pictorial, hard cover for a mere $100! Whe you say no thanks, then there's a soft cover for a lesser amount & when you say it's Christmas, I need to buy presents instead of spending that on myself, then they have something for $20!


----------



## nikv (Dec 11, 2008)

goldenrose said:


> and gives free parking to most botanic gardens!
> Did you respond to the email & snail mail notice to contact them regarding current info for a future members directory? They also try to sell you a member's pictorial, hard cover for a mere $100! Whe you say no thanks, then there's a soft cover for a lesser amount & when you say it's Christmas, I need to buy presents instead of spending that on myself, then they have something for $20!


Thanks for the warning! Good thing I keep throwing those postcards into the recycle bin.


----------



## paphreek (Dec 11, 2008)

Your membership not only pays for the magazine, but aslo helps to support the judging of orchids, production of AQPlus, and many other things. BTW, Russell, the Gerda 'Magnificum' is in spike and should bloom within the month.


----------



## Roy (Dec 11, 2008)

I have been a meember of the AOS for the past 4 years and enjoy many of the articles BUT the membership cost now, with the currency drop of the Aussie $ against the $US, I can't afford it any more, the value for me has gone.
When they stopped the hard copy of Awards Quarterly finished me to the greater extent.


----------



## Eric Muehlbauer (Dec 11, 2008)

I've been a member for 24 years now.....I probably don't need it, as I get all info online now, but I guess I re-subscribe for (expensive) sentimental value. But, get a 2 year subscription and you get a coupon worth $30 on a $100 order from Piping Rock, Krull-Smith, Carter & Holmes.....that's how I got my P. Angela that just opened tonight...Photo will come this weekend......Eric


----------



## SlipperFan (Dec 11, 2008)

goldenrose said:


> and gives free parking to most botanic gardens!
> Did you respond to the email & snail mail notice to contact them regarding current info for a future members directory? They also try to sell you a member's pictorial, hard cover for a mere $100! Whe you say no thanks, then there's a soft cover for a lesser amount & when you say it's Christmas, I need to buy presents instead of spending that on myself, then they have something for $20!


Yea, I got that come-on also. No thanks!
But I think it's worth being a member of AOS, I think. It's a link to the orchid community if you use it. I don't know if the offer is still going on, but when I renewed, I got a percentage off (I think it was 30%) a purchase of $100 or more from selected vendors.


----------



## orchidmaven (Dec 11, 2008)

The American Orchid Society is the premier Orchid Society in America. The Society supports research, Orchid Society Shows, and a host of other benefits to the world of Orchids that benefits us all in so many ways. If the A.O.S., can be faulted for anything it is not telling it's members enough about all they do behind the curtain to keep us all informed and enjoying the plants we have chosen to cultivate and admire. I quite frankly think there is not enough advertising. 

Should you join? 

I have had issues with the A.O.S., but I choose to support all the good the society does for Orchids!

Theresa


----------



## Scooby5757 (Dec 11, 2008)

If _orchid _people don't join and renew then there a good chance of losing it all. I think it would be quite a loss to not have judging. It's a channel to view and learn about some higher quality or botanically interesting flowers.


----------



## JeanLux (Dec 12, 2008)

I have been member of AOS since almost 10 years now, and I think the magazine is for me a very interesting source of info about plants, suppliers and orchid people; but I am not going to call the US for their files Update  ! Jean


----------



## Inverness (Dec 12, 2008)

*AOS Membership*

I've been an AOS member for the better part of thirty years. No other organization represents the orchid community as well as they do. For the cost of a plant or two (annually), you enable many activities to take place. People who describe this as a magazine subscription need to look at the full range of A.O.S. programs and activities.

Ken B.


----------



## goldenrose (Dec 12, 2008)

orchidmaven said:


> The American Orchid Society is the premier Orchid Society in America. The Society supports research, Orchid Society Shows, and a host of other benefits to the world of Orchids that benefits us all in so many ways. If the A.O.S., can be faulted for anything it is not telling it's members enough about all they do behind the curtain to keep us all informed and enjoying the plants we have chosen to cultivate and admire. I quite frankly think there is not enough advertising.
> 
> Should you join?
> 
> ...



WELCOME Theresa! Your right - well said! I agree there isn't enough advertising. I remember years ago, I couldn't wait to go thru the ads to see what good deals would tempt me the most!

Newcomers - introduce yourself so we can give you a proper welcome! If you go to the bottom of the page to forum jump, pick Greetings & Salutations & tell us about yourselfs!


----------



## SlipperKing (Dec 12, 2008)

orchidmaven said:


> The American Orchid Society is the premier Orchid Society in America. The Society supports research, Orchid Society Shows, and a host of other benefits to the world of Orchids that benefits us all in so many ways. If the A.O.S., can be faulted for anything it is not telling it's members enough about all they do behind the curtain to keep us all informed and enjoying the plants we have chosen to cultivate and admire. I quite frankly think there is not enough advertising.
> 
> Should you join?
> 
> ...


Welcome Theresa to ST!


----------



## Bolero (Dec 13, 2008)

I've just resubscribed and I think the magazine is quite good still. Lots of ads but very informative articles.

It probably is worth it but if you've advanced beyond the complexity of the articles then maybe Orchid Digest is a better purchase.


----------



## aquacorps (Dec 13, 2008)

Bolero, I already get Orchid Digest. I am not renewing and joining the Cymbidium Society of America instead. The deciding factor was how the AOS treated Howard Bronstein a few years ago.


----------



## SlipperFan (Dec 13, 2008)

aquacorps said:


> Bolero, I already get Orchid Digest. I am not renewing and joining the Cymbidium Society of America instead. The deciding factor was how the AOS treated Howard Bronstein a few years ago.


Things have changed since then. There's new folks at the helm with a different attitude. There are still problems, but that's true with any organization.


----------



## SaraOL (Dec 17, 2013)

Totally worth renewing !!!


----------



## NYEric (Dec 17, 2013)

Welcome to the forum.


----------



## abax (Dec 17, 2013)

Welcome from KY. I was as AOS member for many years and then I just
got annoyed at all the in-fighting that had nothing to do with me or my
passion for orchids and dropped it. I also had about 15 years of bound
copies of ORCHIDS and no more room in my library to keep anymore!


----------



## jtrmd (Dec 18, 2013)

I decided it wasn't worth it after being a member for close to 12yrs,and let my membership run out last month. I trashed most of my copies of Orchids as they came, unless I was told something good was in that issue. I guess that was a benefit of getting my copy almost 2-3wks every month.


----------



## AdamD (Dec 18, 2013)

I believe it is very much worth it, if you sign up for Orchid Plus. It has been a great tool for me in keeping current on the latest awards from every judging center, as some don't have websites. Not only that, but the fringe benefits and discounts have really helped out. If you plan on spending over $100 at a vendor you already make 1/4 of your subscription cost back (on a 2 year). As far as the internal turmoil goes, I myself as a subscriber have not been affected. I had no idea it was going on until I read something here. I try to stay removed from the gossip. 

The AOS has done extensive conservation work that would otherwise go unnoticed. In the case of Central and South America they, along with MBG, have set aside acres and acres of land where some of our favorite phrags grow that would have been lost, eventually and inevitably. Make all the comments you want, I believe the organization is doing the best it can with what it has.


----------

