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120 W. Main St., PO Box 156
The Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) is active on many fronts:
Membership in TOCA is about 165 and TOCA continues to grow in prestige throughout the Green Industry.
Annual Meeting Tentative Agenda is here Annual Meeting Registration Form is here
"Hit the Right Notes in Nashville!" Thirteen Hundred Fifty Two Guitar Pickers in Nashville And TOCA Too By Den Gardner
But who doesn't remember the Lovin' Spoonful? More importantly, who doesn't remember that fabulous 1966 hit song Nashville Cats that reached number eight on the Billboard list. OK, so you Gen X and Gen Y folks can go to YouTube and check them out. I would definitely define them one of the great bands of all time. A great analogy to TOCA -- one of the great associations of all time. What I dream is Jared Bodnar playing and the rest of us singing that famous line from that song: "Well, there's thirteen hundred and fifty two guitar pickers in Nashville." But did you know the next verse noted there were: "Sixteen thousand eight hundred twenty one mothers from Nashville." Well, we've got plenty of mothers in TOCA! And I hope many moms, dads and other TOCA members join us May 1-4 when we gather for our 23rd annual meeting. Our theme, as the article headline states: "Hit the Right Notes in Nashville!" So, I can't go on without breaking most of Ann Wylie's rules regarding writing and the number of words in a sentence. But I just can't help it. Here goes: Do You Believe in Magic? If you do, Daydream about Summer (OK it will be spring) In The City and do it now and find the Nashville Cats because until now You Didn't Have to Be So Nice. Oh, so you're thinking enough already. You'd rather know about the program workshop and seminars, sleeping room costs, internet availability, and simple details like that. But me? I'll still dream of Lovin' Spoonful's lead singer John Sebastian (also played a mean auto harp). He was my hero! But really folks, TOCA is excited to be headed for one of the country's most famous cities. And there is a little bit of country in Nashville. The TOCA meeting for 2012 finds us at the downtown Hilton Hotel with a room rate of $175. And there are plenty of direct flights to Nashville.
"Taking Care of Business Tuesday" will return for those interested in setting up meetings with colleagues during the afternoon. That's when the TOCA board meets. Like last year, I don't think Bachman-Turner Overdrive will be present, but feel free to set up whatever meetings are appropriate for your company or organization. Otherwise, we'll see you Tuesday night and get ready for the volunteer tour Wednesday morning or the annual TOCA golf tournament. We have Ann Wylie returning for the Thursday morning workshop -- this time to focus on online writing for editors and PR professionals. Otherwise, the program will be similar to Asheville in terms of format. There will be no additional tour and more professional development Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday. The business meeting will be Thursday afternoon and the meeting will conclude with the annual Syngenta Awards Banquet in the evening. People will be able to go home at their leisure Friday or stay the weekend (for the group rate price that TOCA has negotiated). Yes, we are excited about Nashville in 2012! We hope you can join us. More information about the meeting (including the agenda regarding professional development) will be available at the TOCA GIE+Expo Breakfast, sponsored by Bayer, on Friday morning, Oct. 28, 7 a.m., at the convention center in C105. So, Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind? Well, do it now and let's see you in Nashville! 2012 TOCA Communications Contest See Contest page TOCA Scholarship Perhaps you know of some deserving student currently pursuing a career in green industry communications. A niece or nephew? The kid down the block who used to mow your lawn but now studies marketing and landscape architecture at the University of Minnesota? Maybe it's your intern, the one answering your phone as you read this very sentence. How about nominating him or her for a TOCA scholarship? The TOCA Board of Directors will award one $2,500, fall semester scholarship (2011-2012 academic-year) to an undergraduate college student pursuing a career in green industry communications. To qualify, students must major or minor in technical communications or a green industry related field such as horticulture, plant sciences, botany, agronomy, plant pathology, etc. The applicant also must demonstrate an interest in using this course of study in the field of communications. Anna McIntyre is named the 2011 TOCA Scholarship Winner. Detailed information and applications are available at www.toca.org/awards.html. Deadline is March 1, 2012, but it's never too soon to identify, encourage and reward deserving students outstanding in the field. Or on the lawn. Download the Scholarship Application Form here Environmental Communicator of the Year As always at this time of year, TOCA begins its search for the next Environmental Communicator of the Year. Nominations for the 2012 winner are now being accepted. The award, sponsored by Project EverGreen, may be given to anyone in the Green Industry. It is presented each year at TOCA's annual meeting. Anthony Williams, director of grounds for Stone Mountain Golf Course in Stone Mountain GA, is named the 2011 TOCA Environmental Communicators of the Year; the association's thirteenth recipient. Download the Environmental Communicator of the Year Form here The 7th Annual TOCA International Communications Awards Contest Presented by the Download the entry form here (Word file). Download questions and answers here (Word file). McIntyre Selected as Anna McIntyre, a sophomore at the University of Georgia, is the 2011 recipient of the TOCA Scholarship Program. The program is supported by Golf Course Management, M2Media 360, Total Landscape Care, GIE Media, Inc., and Questex. McIntyre is majoring in ag communications and education, with a minor in horticulture. Her current GPA is 3.73. Her career goals are to work in public policy, be an educator and ultimately own her own greenhouse and landscape business. The selection is done by a committee of TOCA members. There were five candidates this year. Faculty member Richard Hudson calls McIntyre "bright, poised, articulate, well-organized, personable, affable, clever, committed to learning, task oriented and one on whom others can rely." McIntyre says the scholarship will allow her to make a life long contribution to the industry. "I will never forget the role this esteemed scholarship played in enabling me to pursue my dreams." Anthony Williams named Anthony Williams, director of grounds for Stone Mountain Golf Club in Stone Mountain, GA, has been named the 2011 TOCA Environmental Communicator of the Year. The program is sponsored by Project EverGreen. Williams is the 13th recipient of this award, which selects a Green Industry communicator for "outstanding efforts in communicating the benefits of environmental stewardship to a particular audience within the turf and ornamental industry." "Anthony's body of work in the golf industry regarding environmental communications has been exceptional," said Den Gardner, TOCA executive director. "His stewardship efforts at Stone Mountain and activities throughout the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and its Environmental Institute for Golf speak of his dedication to the industry and the environment." Williams said it is an honor to be chosen as the TOCA Environmental Communicator of the Year and join such an accomplished group of previous winners. "It is a milestone that is both humbling and motivating as I hold such admiration for the individuals and organizations that sponsor and support this award and the mission it represents," he said. "To my mentors, peers and family, thank you all for helping me learn, teach and live the values of environmental stewardship." Previous winners include: The 2011 TOCA contest winners are posted within the Contest section. Check out the new TOCA promotional video
here!
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OK. I'm a baby boomer. And
although I like a little country music (if it's Blake Shelton or Lady Antebellum
or maybe even Buck Owens -- Hee-Haw anyone? -- I'm more into rock and roll
(or pop as they call it today).
The meeting this year will
continue with our format from the past two years -- with a theme surrounding
a Green Industry issue and professional development. At this time the program
is in the early developmental stages, so there is little to report about
the agenda. We should have some concrete details by mid-October.
