Saturday, August 30, 2014
Photo
SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR: Those helping to organize the Mahoning Valley Dahlia Society Midwest Dahlia Conference Show are, from left, Dave Habeger, treasurer; Joyce Habeger, secretary; Harriet Chandler, show chair; and Randy Foith, president of the MVDS and Midwest Dahlia Conference.
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
Members of the Mahoning Valley Dahlia Society are preparing for the annual Midwest Dahlia Conference Show, which will take place Sept. 13 and 14 at Fellows Riverside Gardens, 123 McKinley Ave. The show is open to the public.
Dahlia growers from seven states will display hundreds of dahlias in youth, novice, new grower and large grower categories. Several classes of artistic designs also will be featured.
Senior and accredited judges will select the winner in each class. The winning blooms will be displayed on the Court of Honor from noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 14.
The 2014 show is dedicated to the memory of Carl Chuey, a founder and member of the society. He was a biology professor at Youngstown State University for 47 years before his death in April. He and his brother Jim Chuey collaborated in hybridizing a single dahlia named Marcella Louise, in honor of their mother, Marcella Louise Scheetz Chuey.
The Chuey brothers were concerned about problems associated with dahlia viruses. The Scheetz Chuey Charitable Foundation recently announced the creation of the Carl F. Chuey Endowment Fund at Washington State University. During the dahlia show banquet, Jim Chuey will present a check for $250,000 to Dr. Hanu Pappu, department chair, and President Sam Smith, professor in plant virology, a national leader in virus research at Washington State.