Paul is a legendary, long time member of OSSC since 1952.  Mr. Gripp is most known for his association with the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate where he began with a managerial position in 1957.  He later purchased the Estate in 1967, retired in 1986, and currently his children share ownership.  Paul has remained active within the Estate as a Senior Citizen Volunteer.  Mr. Gripp and the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate are one of the world's foremost collectors and propagators of orchid species and hybrids, specializing in outdoor temperature-tolerant varieties.  Paul has held many distinguished offices: President, Cymbidium Society of America; President, Santa Barbara Orchid Show (four times); Member, Research Committee of the American Orchid Society (fifteen years).  Paul's favorite saying: " When you can say you like all orchids equally, you can call your self an orchid man." Alas, Paul's favorite orchid: "All orchids, equally."

Click here for more information on OSSC's regular monthly meetings.

• OSSC Donates to OCA [Submitted on 4/19/08 by OSSC President Krystine Chaparro]
  

  With the world population growing and needing more of the land, we need to set aside parcels of land to continue to grow and flourish in the same way it always has before us and after us for all time, and this is what the Orchid Conservation Alliance (OCA) is setting out to do.

  Dr. Peter Tobias, a Director of the OCA, came to our Monday night meeting to speak and point out the habitats that have been set aside so far and the good things the OCA has been funding.  And this is why I am glad we, the Orchid Society of Southern California, presented Dr. Tobias with a donation of $1000 to the OCA, the largest donation from an orchid society to date. Additionally, OSSC Past President Alfred Hockenmaier presented Peter donations from several OSSC members.  Might I say Peter Tobias was impressed?

  I’m proud we are conservation-wise.  Our donation is a small price to pay for us to help the world save the birds, wildlife and why we attend our Monday meetings, the orchids.

• [Submitted by AOS Judge (and OSSC Auctioneer) Doug Overstreet] After over 50 years of meeting on the 2nd Monday evening of the month, the American Orchid Society Pacific South Judging Center is changing the day of the monthly judging sessions! Beginning on January 14, 2008, our monthly judging sessions will be held as follows:

  TIME: 2nd Saturday of each month, 10:00 a.m.
  PLACE: Huntington Botanical Center, Lower Level, Huntington Botanical Gardens, Library and Art Collections, San Marino, CA
  PARKING: Available in the staff parking lot adjacent to the Botanical Center

  This is very important news and Pac South has come to this decision after much study and consideration. We feel that it is very important to include the members of our local orchid societies in our judging activities so that they may feel welcome to bring plants in for judging and to learn more about the AOS judging system.

  All sessions are open to the public. We encourage you to attend!

• Orchid Species Now Extinct in Burma