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Mentor Program, Revisited

© Clay Higgins

I'd like to do a Paul Harvey and tell the "rest of the story," on the mentor program. I was fairly critical of the mentor program in the past, however, terrific strides are being made in the right direction. Let me tell you about it.

The American Daffodil Society, also known as the ADS, has a new and exciting twist to their mentor program. That new twist does two things: one, it helps get new daffodil gardeners inseminated into daffodil culture. Second, by asking experienced members to come out of their comfort zones and mentor new daffodil enthusiasts, the experienced members gain friends and at the same time help other members get off to a good start in ADS.

The only thing that pulls new ADS members into becoming long term members and attending the ADS National Shows is the obtaining of that "feeling of belonging." The love of the daffodil, alone, is not enough. A dedicated program was needed to gain and maintain those new members, and break that recent pattern of "dropping-out" between the second and third year. In my opinion, the ADS mentor program answers that need, and is a giant step in the right direction.

I'm asking all daffodil lovers to support the ADS President's new ADS mentor program. The new ADS mentor program is designed to help newer members attending the National Shows to obtain that feeling of belonging.

The ADS program advocated is very simple to do. All it asks is that the experienced members come out of their comfort zones to meet, and include the new members in their activities. The time we are talking about is for that first night, which is the flower staging night, and the second night, the Awards Banquet, after the judging. It's just as important for these new members to be invited to our work tables in the daffodil staging areas, as it is to include them in our groups at the Awards banquets. Lastly, take them through a little "personal" tour of the show area, introduce them to other members, and invite them to attend the National Show sponsored tours with you.

There's plenty of time for these groups of regulars to get together, have their catch-up sessions, and to share memories over the next couple of days. And, according to the ADS President, by the end of the Awards Banquet, the newer member's favorable "first impression" of the American Daffodil Society, and its National Shows have already been determined.

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