On Sat, 14 Oct 2006 13:35:51 -0400, "Kenni Judd"
wrote:

In the same vein as Pat's post -- please do distinguish between trophies for
hobbyists and those for professional growers. For the latter category,
plain old vulgar CASH works very well (a couple shows I know of give $100
for best grower exhibit); or trophies which are readily marketable and will
increase in value -- e.g., one year DBOS gave out collectible coins in a
nice package with the "Best in Show" awards.

Plates, vases, glasses, mugs -- tend to turn into dust collectors or
GoodWill donations. Kenni

We had complaints this year because the $25 gift certificate from
Water Orchids, Hoosier, Piping Rock & Oak Hill were not permanent. "We
needed to hand out rosettes as well." Now that is what I call a dust
collector. The Pres. also complained that the certificate had a line
for the class name and number which was filled in by hand during the
show judging. She thought they should have been run thru the printer
and individually printed on site at the time. Not that she wanted to
provide the help or the printer to do so.

I saw the GC as an opportunity to cash in on the cost of vendor
plants. Go home with a beauty that I would have seen as out of my
price range.

We don't gift the Professional growers with hardware except for the
one Exhibit trophy. It was a piece of Stained Glass any vendor could
gift to the next auction/AOS fund raiser they are asked to donate to.
No personalization on it at all.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/orchids