Bob Luthultz, AAF, was interviewed by KMIR-TV, a Palm Springs NBC affiliate.

Industry members weren't the only ones admiring inspired floral design and beautiful blooms at SAF Palm Springs 2007, held Sept. 26-29, at La Quinta Resort & Club in Palm Springs, Calif.
 
Two local media outlets took advantage of SAF's invitation to witness floral displays the likes of which most viewers have never seen. KMIR-TV, a Palm Springs NBC affiliate, reported on the convention's Sylvia Cup and Outstanding Varieties competitions, both of which were open to the public and the press. The story, which ran Sept. 27 on the evening news, featured footage of both competitions and an interview with Bob Luthultz, AAF, SAF's immeidate past president.
 
"Designers want to win, but the competition isn't just about getting a ribbon," Luthultz said in the interview. "You're working with flowers all the time, it's good to step back and realize the real beauty of them and the creativity, because they're real artists." As the cameras panned the room filled with the 367 Outstanding Varieties Competition entries, Luthultz said: "The growers are also artists. And they have their own competition, to show off what they consider their newest and most outstanding flower varieties."
 
The local newspaper, Desert Sun, also reported on the Outstanding Varieties Competition. 
 
"The SAF convention is a great opportunity to contact the local media and showcase flowers and the unique qualities of the industry to the consumer," SAF's vice president of marketing, Jennifer Sparks, says. Beyond the media coverage generated, members of the public came to the resort to see for themselves, she added. "Not many people outside of the industry get to stand in a room with 10,000 stems of flowers. It was neat to see the awe on their faces as they were surrounded by all of that beauty."  

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

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