Mother-daughter duo Kelly and Camille Dolloff of Artistic Blossoms Floral Design Studio with fellow Bostonian Nick Fronduto of Jacobson Floral Supply, Inc., discussed industry issues with an aide in the office of Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Massachusetts) during CAD 2016.
Planning on attending SAF’s 37th Annual Congressional Action Days (CAD) on March 13-14? SAF is encouraging attendees to share the experience with a colleague, with an offer for a free registration for first-time guests of attendees.
“We started this offer in 2014, as a way to grow our presence on Capitol Hill and also give more people in the industry the chance to experience this very unique event,” said SAF President Martin Meskers, AAF, of Oregon Flowers, Inc., in Aurora, Oregon. He hopes many of those 2016 first-timers (27 in all) will plan to attend as “veterans” this year.
Camille Dolloff, office manager and logistics coordinator of Artistic Blossoms Floral Design Studio in Boston, attended CAD as a guest last year. Since joining SAF, she heard a lot about the event and jumped at the opportunity to go with her mother, the shop’s owner Kelly Dolloff. Although Camille didn’t know what to expect, she found CAD to be both informative and enjoyable.
“The experience was incredible,” she said. “Between the meetings with our members of Congress and discussions within the SAF group — learning about the laws and regulations directly affecting our industry, as well as meeting others in the floral industry from all around the country — what we learned and took home with us was invaluable.”
Father-son duo Brian Wheat, AAF, PFCI, and Tanner of Lafayette Florist, Gift Shop & Garden Center in Lafayette, Colorado, at a networking event during CAD 2015.
In addition to bringing your guest to meet lawmakers in the House and Senate, you both can enjoy some downtime during CAD networking events. Tanner Wheat, manager at Lafayette Florist, Gift Shop & Garden Center in Lafayette, Colorado, also attended CAD for the first time as a guest of his father, Brian Wheat, AAF, PFCI.
For Tanner, the opportunity to network with other florists was the perfect way to end a busy day of lobbying.
“My favorite part of attending CAD was interacting with other industry professionals. I recognized many faces from stories in Floral Management magazine, and it was great to shake hands and exchange experiences with people I’ve only read about,” he said. “In the following years, it was great to meet back up with these people in D.C. We all have a common goal of bettering our businesses and industry, but the dinners and socials at the end of the day are where you make lifelong business connections and friends.”
Terry Lyons and SAF Chairperson Shirley Lyons, AAF, PFCI, of Dandelions Flowers & Gifts in Eugene, Oregon, brought their grandchildren Bethany and Ben Anderson to CAD 2016. They are shown here with SAF President Martin Meskers, AAF, of Oregon Flowers, Inc., in Aurora, Oregon, while visiting an aide in the office of Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon).
Last year, Shirley Lyons, AAF, PFCI, owner of Dandelions Flowers & Gifts in Eugene, Oregon, brought her nine-year-old granddaughter, who was “thrilled to learn first-hand about the process and feel democracy in action.”
Lyons says the grade-schooler attended all the SAF meetings, as well as a White House briefing, and then met with congressional officers from her own state. Afterward, they stayed a few extra days to take in all the Washington, D.C. sights with her mother and brother.
“It was an opportunity that I might not have shared with her otherwise, and one that we both will treasure always,” Lyons said.
As you make your travel plans, be sure to book your hotel room early to take advantage of the special SAF rate at the CAD hotel. The cutoff to reserve a SAF room at the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City is Feb. 17. Call the hotel directly at 703-415-5000 and ask for the SAF Congressional Action Days room block.
To get more information on the CAD schedule, hotel and travel information, or to register, go to safnow.org/cad. When you register by Feb. 21, you qualify for a $55 early-bird discount. To register your first-time attendee guest, call SAF at 800-336-4743, ext. 221 or email to meetings@safnow.org.