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Certificates of Appreciation.  At the April 2025 meeting, Rick Kelley (left) and Larry Kuekes (right) received the American Orchid Society Certificate of Appreciation in recognition for their service to the Hilo Orchid Society.  Both are past Presidents of HOS and continue to serve the Society in many ways.
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Hilo Orchid Show Dedicated to Lottie Haspe.  The 2025 Hilo Orchid Show, to be held July 25-27, will be dedicated to longtime HOS member Lottie Haspe, who passed away earlier this year.  Lottie is shown above with her husband Pete Haspe.
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2025 Board members sworn in.  Board members for 2025 were sworn in at the December holiday party.  From left: Julie Goettsch, administering the oath, Ellen Train, Sandra Dixon, Kathryn Duval, Dana Culleney, Karl Mendonca, Rick Kelley, Lise Dowd, Cyndi Helton, Larry Kuekes, Tom Mirenda, Kathy Gollaher.
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Award of Excellence.  Karl Mendonca was awarded the Orchid Digest Diamond Award of Excellence at the 2024 holiday party.  This award recognizes a member who has made outstanding contributions to the orchid society.
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The 70th Hilo Orchid Show, Orchid Hula, was a success.  Above, HOS President Ellen Train presents the awards for the Grand Champion and Reserve Champion (best and 2nd best orchids in the show) to Hilo Orchid Farm.​
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Aliceara Hilo Gold 'Hilo Ablaze', grown by Hilo Orchid Farm, won the Grand Champion award (best orchid in show) at the Hilo Orchid Show.
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Paphiopedilum Armeni White, grown by Hilo Orchid Farm, won the Reserve Champion award (2nd best orchid in show) at the Hilo Orchid Show.
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AOS Volunteer Service Awards.  The American Orchid Society has recognized our members Gerritt Takasaki (above, left, with his wife Lorene) and James Fang (above, right) with the Norito Hasagawa Award for Excellence in Hybridization.  Gerritt, owner of Hawaii Hybrids, has created over 89 Cattleya alliance hybrids there, not to mention 156 hybrids previously created at Carmela Orchids.  James, owner of Hilo Orchid Farm, has created over 200 hybrids, mostly Paphiopedilums.  Our congratulations to both!

2024-2025 Scholarships.  Hilo Orchid Society has awarded the Yasuji Takasaki Memorial Scholarship to Keleni Faanunu (above, left), majoring in Biology at UH Hilo, and Sean Michael Monte (above, right), majoring in Global Environmental Science at UH Manoa.  Both students have been involved with projects to study and promote orchid conservation in Hawaii.  The scholarship pays a tuition grant of $2000 per semester.
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Video of November 2022 meeting.  Karen Kimmerle, owner of Island Sun Orchids, talked about how to grow Vandas.  If you missed the meeting, you can see Karen's talk by clicking on the photo above.
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Video of July 2022 Meeting.  Larry Kuekes talked about orchid show mini displays.  If you missed our July meeting, you can see Larry's talk by clicking on the photo above.
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Video of May 2022 Meeting.  If you missed our May meeting, you can see it by clicking on the photo above.  Larry Kuekes gave a presentation "Help" – Where to get orchid help and answer your questions."  Larry's talk starts about 23 min. 30 sec. into the video.
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Video of April 2022 Meeting.  If you missed our April combined in-person and Zoom meeting, you can see it by clicking on the photo above.  David Toyoshima talked about classic Cattleyas.  His talk starts at about 31 minutes into the video.