April 15, 2008
By Stephanie Smith
Membership services coordinator

Stephanie SmithIt has been another fun-filled and exciting month at LO with productive meetings, chapter elections and Canada Blooms.

LO Industry Night at Canada Blooms was a great success. Congratulations to all the award winners on a job well done.  

We have numerous golf tournaments planned for this summer. We can’t wait to see everyone out for some R. and R. on the links after a busy spring.

I would also like to mention the Prosperity Partners initiative, and urge you to check out the seminars and support offered by this program. Jacki Hart has visited most of the chapters, speaking about this exciting new program geared to help you develop as a company. This is a winning program. Check out Prosperity Partners next season at a chapter meeting near you.

The Spring Thaw social event in Waterloo, on April 18, looks like another winning night out. I look forward to seeing you all there.

The chapters have recruited some new faces to their boards. We are very excited about the fresh perspective. Welcome all, and we appreciate your time and enthusiasm.

Planning is now in full swing for the next season of meetings. We welcome suggestions for topics and speakers of interest for next year. Please call or e-mail your ideas.
 

Why a 30-day wait?

Question of the month: What is the process for new members? Why is there a 30-day delay before I may join LO?

This is a good question, and one I answer daily. When we receive your application, we first check to see if the type of membership you applied for matches the type of service you provide. For our active and interim members, that is a bit harder than for associate or horticultural members.

The reason it takes 30-45 days is because we contact your references and that takes time.

It is beneficial for any new potential members to understand that applying for membership is very much like applying for a job. It’s important to let the sponsors/references know that you will be using them and that LO will be in contact. Sometimes a personal phonecall is required to finally receive the reference.

We also must ensure that you have the necessary required items: liability insurance, proof you are registered with WSIB, photos of your work or copies of certificates or diplomas. Board approval is required, and board meetings are normally held once a month. No application can be processed without this approval.

We receive many applications every month. We do our best to get everything done as quickly and efficiently as possible. It is important to make sure your application is complete so we can process it in a timely matter.

Thanks for all the valuable input, as it is always much appreciated.
 
Stephanie Smith can be reached by e-mail at ssmith@landscapeontario.com.