IPA 2013 Symposium Report,
a.k.a. A Hot Time Deep in the Heart of Texas
Tom Harper
“A
be in the cool confines
ustin in August
of the hotel.
can really be
Dropping my materiwarm, even
als into my room, I dehot,
some
cided to check out the
folks would say. Expect
layout of the rooms for
temperatures to easour meeting. James and
ily be into the 90’s and
Cathy Rider would be
maybe even higher,”
along shortly to begin
James Rider told the
the process of organizIPA Board members
ing their materials for
during its semiannual
the event, and I had
meeting in Portland,
arrived early to help
Oregon last fall. His
them any way I could.
prediction for this AuBesides, several boxes
gust was spot on!
of donated auction
I arrived in Austin
plants and items were
on Thursday amid its Mr. Lin’s sons helping an eager IPA attendee.
due into the hotel at
August heat wave. For
any time, and they would have to be unpacked and logged
days the temperatures in central Texas had easily passed
the century mark, and Thursday was to be no exception; in to our auction listing. Certainly there was a lot to do
before our registrants started to arrive on Thursday aftertopping out at 104 degrees!
Air conditioned planes, terminals and rental cars do not noon and Friday morning.
Our meeting rooms were actually adjacent to the hotel
give you the heat treatment like a walk to the hotel does.
Just dropping my car at the hotel door, unloading the IPA in a separate facility and attached by a walkway from the
materials, my auction donations and my luggage, the heat mezzanine level of the hotel. A quick briefing on our meetgreeted me with a vengeance. Beads of perspiration dotted ing room location from the hotel front desk personnel, and
my brow and my morning shower and dose of deodorant I was on my way. The rooms were large and open giving
were about to be severely challenged. How nice the AC felt us adequate space to host the sales area and the lectures.
walking to the check-in desk. At least our meeting would Comfy chairs and tables were aligned in the lecture room
and laid out classroom style. Several tables
with chairs occupied the sales room area,
giving each vendor adequate space to set up
and ample room for buyers to peruse their
plant sales. All this would work great for our
meeting.
On my way back to the room, I met Linda
Hauss from California (San Luis Obispo)
sitting in the hotel lobby. Linda had arrived early and had already done some serious shopping downtown. Shortly thereafter,
Everyone needs an auction plate! L-R
Dr. Robert Bannister, Meir Moses, George Killgore
and Lynn Fuller.
6
Phalaenopsis | Third Quarter | Volume 23 | 2013