The Fort Wayne Convention and Visitors Bureau is pleased to announce an unusual – and delightful – group that will be hosting their national convention in Fort Wayne: the National Junior Horticultural Association!
The NJHA was founded in 1934 and was the first organization in the world dedicated solely to youth and horticulture. It is a national program that helps young people develop skills in and obtain an understanding of horticulture and is open to anyone between the ages of 5 and 22.
NJHA holds its convention during the first weekend of October at a different host city each year and Fort Wayne is delighted to have been chosen for their 2007 national convention – this October 5-8 at the Fort Wayne Hilton and Grand Wayne Convention Center!
A diverse group of projects covering all areas of horticulture will be offered at this meeting. Convention events will include horticultural demonstrations; judging and identification; photography; and projects in environmental awareness, experimental horticulture, and more.
The group was attracted here by the efforts of the Convention and Visitors Bureau and will be spending approximately $72,000 while in town!
Group organizer Connie Greenamyer adds, “It has been twenty years since this association had their convention in Indiana and we are really excited to get them ‘back home again, in Indiana.’ In planning what we wanted to show off and have them take home as a memory, we were amazed at all that was available in the Fort Wayne area, horticulturally. We only wish that we had several more days to do justice to the area."
One great aspect of this group is that while they will be attending their own events in the Grand Wayne Convention Center, they are also going to be getting out and seeing Fort Wayne: touring DeBrands Fine Chocolates, Camp Scott, Follienger Freimann Botanical Conservatory, Edy’s Ice Cream, Sechlers Pickles, the Victory Museum, and receiving a behind the scenes tour of Fort Wayne Children's Zoo!