Nyt fra American Rhododendron Society (ARS)
Foreningens A-medlemmer har modtaget et brev fra ARS med anmodning om frivillige bidrag til ARS. Årsagen er,
at ARS også har tabt mange medlemmer og nu er nede på 3.158 medlemmer mod mere end 6.000 medlemmer for få år
siden.  Kontingentet for 2014 er på USD 40,00 (medlemmer af Rhododendronforeningen betaler for 2014 dog kun DKK. 185,-). 

ARS ønsker ikke at hæve dette relativt beskedne beløb, selv om det ikke er tilstrækkelig til ARS’ daglige drift. 
ARS er således afhængig af frivillige bidrag (donationer) fra medlemmer, foreninger og virksomheder.
Det er meget dyrt at købe USD-checks i bankerne, og såfremt medlemmer af Rhododendronforeningen ønsker at donere
et beløb til ARS, kan beløbet indbetales til samme konto, som kontingentet indbetales til. Så vil foreningen
afregne det samlede beløb til ARS sammen med kontingentbetalingen til ARS. Husk blot at skrive på indbetalingen,
at der er tale om en donation til ARS.

Og så er det nye ARS Online Store åben:

ARSStore.org - The new ARS Online Store
Every purchase benefits the ARS
At the October 4, 2013, American Rhododendron Society Board of Directors meeting, the Board authorized the
creation of an online ARS site that would not be selling items but would link to other providers. The online
store was authorized to develop a relationship with Amazon as an affiliate store. The online store was also
authorized to use the ARS logo and name to sell “ARS” merchandise. Product providers accessed through the ARS
online store at ARSStore.org pay referral fees directly to the ARS on sales made from ARSStore.org referrals.
These fees from sales referrals go 100% directly to the ARS.  ARSStore.org has no expenses, only earnings.
The store has three divisions:
•    ARS Logo Merchandise: featuring knit, woven and denim shirts, caps, visors, and computer briefcases.
•    Amazon Merchandise: featuring Rhododendron & Azalea Books, Garden Books, Garden Tools, and any other
item sold on Amazon.
•    Participating Merchants: featuring other merchants who agree to give referral fees to the ARS for each
purchase when you mention ARSStore.org .
To access each division, just go to ARSStore.org and from there select what interests you. If you don’t see an
item, just use the Amazon search feature.  Amazon sells just about everything.  You get the same low Amazon
prices from the ARS store, but by using it the ARS gets a fee for referring you.  As long as you go to Amazon
from ARSStore.org before making a purchase, the ARS gets a referral fee.
ARSStore.org has the Main Store, a Canadian Store and a European Store.  Canadians and Europeans can use the
Main Store which uses Amazon.com, but the shipping can be expensive.  The Canadian Store uses Amazon.ca, a
Canadian affiliate, which carries many of the same things. If Amazon.ca has the item, the shipping within
Canada will probably cost less. The European Store uses Amazon stores in the UK, Germany, France, Spain and
Italy which can offer lower cost shipping within Europe.  Do not go to the other Amazon stores directly from
Amazon.com. If you do, your purchase will not qualify for a referral fee.  Go to ARSStore.org first and use
links from there.
You may wonder if people who are not members of the ARS may use ARSStore.org. Yes, most certainly! The
objective of creating the ARSStore website is to raise money for the ARS. The more money we raise, the better
it is for the ARS. Invite all of your friends to use it.  Invite your favorite nurseries to add links to ARSStore.org.
The referral rate starts at 4%. If a total of 7 or more items are purchased from Amazon in a month, the rate
is 6% or more. Typically it will be between 6% and 6.5%.  It is 17% on ARS Logo Merchandise.
At ARSStore.org, every purchase you make results in a contribution to the ARS at no additional cost either to
you or to the ARS.