Club History
by Camilla Arthur, Charter Member

_   On a Sunday afternoon in 2004, 18 people attended a meeting at the Marietta Garden Center to hear a proposal for a daylily club in the Marietta area.  Bill Waldrop, our founder, was the speaker and Diana Waldrop gave out daylillies to all who came to the meeting.  People agreed to do different jobs, such as investigating where the meetings could be held and how often.  Some of those early members are no longer in the club.  One couple that attended the first meeting was Jack and Cynthis Rigsby.  Jack has been the Treasurer since inception and Cynthia has been the Hospitality Coordinator.

    The original meetings were held at the First United Methodist Church in Marietta because there was no fee to rent the church room.  As a young club, there was no money.  Diana and Bill Waldrop were members of the Greater Atlanta Daylily Club.  Bill revised the Atlanta Club bylaws and thosew became the bylaws for the Cobb County Daylily Society.

    Bill Waldrop was the first president and served two years which is a term.  The second president was Gerald Johnson followed by another Bill Waldrop term.  The current president for 2011-2012 is David Arthur.  Presidents cannot succeed themselves which opens up the field to any club member to become president.

    The first daylily show was held at North Metro Tech.  Gerald Johnson, an original member, was an instructor there and had entered flower shows before.  He became the memtor and first show chair.  The club members were all learning and Gerald helped in the understanding as to how to run a daylily show.  Marlee Price was the second daylily show chair.  She investigated other venues where flowers could be viewed by the public.  The second and succeeding shows have been held at the Galleria Mall which provides outstanding support. 

    The first ideas for fund raising came from Marlee Price.  She suggested the sale of plants at the Marietta Farmer's Market.  In those days, it was held in a church parking lot on Church Street in Marietta.  Some members dug plants from thir gardens and sold them.  Early helpers were Diana Waldrop, Marlee Price, Camilla Arthur and the Rigsbys.  Even though David Arthr was not a member of the club at that time, he came to help sell plants.  Little by little the club grew and so did the finances.  The Cobb County Daylily Society has been called the fastest growing club in the state if not the nation!