As we continue to grow and thrive as a community of passionate floral designers, we’re excited to share some updates, opportunities, and upcoming events with you. From scholarship opportunities to educational events like Gather 2025, there’s something for every designer looking to elevate their craft and connect with fellow professionals. Keep reading to learn more about the exciting happenings in our region and how you can get involved!
Inspire & Empower Scholarship Opportunity
Exciting news for our Southern Chapter CFD® members! This year, the National Marketing Committee has granted Regional Chapters a fantastic opportunity to send one deserving individual to the National Symposium through the Inspire & Empower Scholarship program. Southern Chapter is thrilled to offer this exclusive opportunity to CFD® members in our region.
This scholarship is designed to support the professional growth of floral designers by giving one lucky recipient the chance to enhance their skills, expand their expertise, and connect with industry leaders.
Eligibility Requirements:
– Applicants must be CFD® members in good standing within the AIFD® Southern Chapter.
– The AIFD® Southern Chapter includes the following states and territories: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Overseas applicants from Africa, South America, and the Caribbean Islands are also eligible.
How to Apply:
To apply, simply fill out the Google Form by April 16, 2025. The winner will be chosen by the Southern Chapter Inspire & Empower Scholarship Committee and notified with further instructions.
Gather 2025 Recap
We are thrilled to have recently hosted Gather 2025 in Hardinsburg, KY—our educational event now in its third year. This event has quickly become a beloved tradition for our region, offering a relaxed and intimate atmosphere where florists can learn, recharge, and build connections.
This year’s event featured an incredible lineup of instructors and presenters, including Carolyn Minutillo AIFD, Benjamin Lee AIFD and Ralph Giordano AIFD.
Our workshops, led by National President Laurie Lemek AIFD, Linda K. Speer AIFD, and Marcela López-Vallejo AIFD, covered a wide range of exciting topics for floral designers of all levels. We were excited to see so many designers from our community come together for education and inspiration! In addition to our workshops, we were thrilled to host the SAIFD competition, featuring 17 students from Western Kentucky University. These talented students competed in four categories:
1. Sympathy
2. Flowers to Wear
3. Flowers to Carry
4. Interpretation Arrangement
The students did a wonderful job, receiving feedback from AIFD members and gaining valuable insight on how to grow as emerging designers.
We also held the FFA student competition and the Iron Designer challenge. During the Iron Designer competition, 10 AIFD members created floral arrangements live in front of an audience. The winner of the challenge was Cindy Tole AIFD.
Special thanks to our sponsors for making this event possible: Benjamin’s Flowers & Gifts, Dreisbach’s Louisville, EC Flowers, Ferntrust, Fitz Design, Floralife, Floriology, Infinite Blooms, Kentucky Florists’ Association, Lavender Hill, Mind Your Blooming Business, Smithers Oasis, and Teleflora.
Looking Ahead to Gather 2026! We’re already hard at work planning next year’s event, Gather 2026, and we couldn’t be more excited! Stay tuned, as we’ll be announcing the date and location soon. We can’t wait to bring even more inspiration, education, and community-building to our floral designers in the coming year!
AIFD® National Symposium Membership Meeting – Save the Date!
Mark your calendars! Our annual meeting will be held on July 11, 2025, from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm in Palm Springs, CA. This will be a special event as we pin our 2025 inductees!
All CFD® and AIFD members from our chapter are invited to join us for this celebration. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect, celebrate our achievements, and strengthen our community. We can’t wait to see you there!
FSFA Event an Educational Success
Southern chapter members were out and about providing quality education this month. Floriology hosted the Florida State Florist Association International’s mid-season. It was a great weekend of education.
Ralph Giordano AIFD provided a program on Care and Handling and Michelle Morgan AIFD provided a program on how to better prepare for the holidays.
Debroah De La Flor AIFD, commentated on a program with Jenna Sleeman AIFD and Jolene Powell AIFD. The designers were given the same flowers and containers and showed how to take the same material from an everyday design to an elevated design.
Bob Tucker AIFD presented a hands-on program showcasing his “Magic Ring” (patent pending.) Keep up the good work Southern Chapter members!
Thank you for being a part of the Southern Chapter community! We’re proud of the incredible talent and dedication within our region, and we can’t wait to see how we continue to inspire and empower one another. Be sure to stay connected through our upcoming events and opportunities, and remember, your participation helps shape the future of our floral design community. We look forward to seeing you at our next event!
