We have our secrets, even, sometimes, from our own volunteers. In the early years of our Holiday Wreath Project, we had no formal training procedure set up for decorators. Now, potential designers work at first next to an experienced member, assisting and watching, then do a wreath under supervision, before getting individual assignments. Back then, members grabbed a card and started decorating. We exercise quality control, and make suggestions, but sometimes, no matter how hard we try to gently lead, the finished product just isn’t up to snuff. We are a volunteer organization and treasure every volunteer hour given to us. But after the decorator left for the day, we would snatch the wreath back for a bit of repair and restoration. Sometimes it was a matter of balance, sometimes a mechanical issue (the pine cones are falling off!), but we needed to send out a finished product in line with the prices charged. This type of subterfuge is now rarely needed, thankfully, and certainly wasn’t needed on the wreath shown below, created by one of our star decorators, Rita Christensen.

Thank you Past President Stephanie Fletcher for sponsorship of today’s Wreath of the Day post.