Organized April 16, 1975
In March of 1975, Iris Fujisue wrote to the ARS inquiring about how to join the local rose society. When she was informed that there wasn't a local society here in Hawai'i, she and Doris Osaka began to create one. They sought out others in Hawai'i who were ARS members and invited them to be a part of the launching of the new Honolulu Rose Society. The opening meeting was attended by 12 members. First offiicers of the HRS were Doris Osaka as president, Maile Lee as vice president, Douglas McDonald, treasurer, and Iris Fujisue, secretary. The club's meetings were usually held at the McCully Library, and the clubs first ARS-sanctioned Rose Show was held on April 23 & 24, 1977. Judges came from the U.S. mainland and included Marian and Joseph Klima, Stretch Johnson and Emmett McKutchen. In 1997 our first CR school was held with Baldo Villegas, Diane and Steve Steps, and Chuck Bigelow as guest speakers. Our newsletter, Ka 'Uhane o Ka Loke (The Spirit of the Rose), first appeared in 1996 with Tom Mui as our editor. Our first website, roseshawaii.org, was created in August of 2000 and was maintained through 2005 by Dee Choi.
Since 1975, members of the Honolulu Rose Society have been holding rose exhibitions at various malls on Oahu, at state fairs, and at the state exhibition hall. We currently meet once a month (excluding December) to hold meetings, demonstrations, and various workshops for public awareness and education.
