We Want Your Feedback:
Share Your Thoughts on Fun 'N Sun 2024
We hope you had an amazing time at the Omni La Costa Resort, enjoying the exhibits, educational sessions, and networking opportunities that made this year’s event unforgettable.
To help us make future Fun 'N Sun conventions even better, we need your feedback! If you attended, please take a few minutes to share your thoughts in our post-event survey. Your insights will directly shape the future of Fun 'N Sun, including our 2026 event in Pasadena, CA.
The survey deadline has been extended to Friday, October 18, 2024, so there’s still time to share your experiences! We sincerely appreciate your time and input. Thank you for being such a vital part of the Fun 'N Sun community, and we can’t wait to hear from you!
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Catch Up on Fun 'N Sun 2024: Watch Live Shows and Educational Sessions!
Whether you missed the excitement of our live shows or could not attend the educational sessions at Fun 'N Sun 2024, we’ve got you covered. Click Here to watch the episodes and presentations from the event. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the highlights and valuable insights shared by the experts!
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Directory Ad Space Available!
The 2025-2026 CalFlowers Membership Directory is your opportunity to reach over 900 key businesses across the floral industry. The directory is widely used by florists, wholesalers, and industry professionals, making it a valuable marketing tool for your business. Deadline: November 7, 2024.
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Join That Flower Feeling on November 14th, at 12 PM EST, for an insightful webinar titled "Marketing Flowers for Self-Care: The Importance of Evolving the Floral Industry." Moderated by Chris Drummond, TFF Advisory Board Chairman and owner of Penny's by Plaza Florist, the session will explore how the floral industry can embrace the growing trend of self-care through flowers.
Industry leaders Kristin Gilliand (Gardens America), Lenny Walker (Kennicott Bros. Company), Jackie Levine (Central Square Florist), and Debora Steier (TFF Unit Sales Task Force) will share strategies to help florists and stakeholders thrive in a changing market.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how marketing flowers as a tool for well-being can keep your business ahead of the curve!
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CalFlowers is proud to sponsor the annual 2024 CaliFlora convention, November 8-10, hosted by the California State Floral Association. This year’s event features a special workshop and design show with renowned designer Donald Yim, AIFD, CFD, PFCI, in partnership with Accent Décor and Smithers Oasis.
As a valued member of the floral industry, you're invited to join this exciting event! Enjoy exploring vendor booths, student competitions, and a silent auction featuring Donald Yim's designs. Sunday will also include hands-on workshops and the highly anticipated Top Ten Design Competition.
This is your chance to connect with fellow professionals, enhance your skills, and immerse yourself in the latest trends in floral design. Don’t miss out—register today!
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Member Spotlight: Pressed Floral
Pressed Floral is a floral preservation company that transforms sentimental floral arrangements into timeless fine art. Partnering with florists and the floral community, they provide clients with lasting memories of special moments.
With locations in Atlanta, GA, and Orem, UT, Pressed Floral serves the entire country. As the nation's leading floral preservation experts for the past five years, they take pride in preserving the beauty of floral designs.
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Floral/Ag Industry Unites for Hurricane Helene Relief
In the wake of Hurricane Helene's devastating impact on the southern U.S., the floral industry is rallying to support those affected. From donation drives to relief funds, there are many ways to help both individuals and businesses in need. See how you can contribute and find valuable resources for recovery efforts.
Florida (Source: Details Flowers)
Comprehensive Support (Source: Floral Daily)
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Photo Contest Winner- Employee of the Month 🐾
Thank you to everyone who participated in our 'Furry Friends with Florals' photo contest! We’re excited to announce that all entries will be featured in the 2025-2026 membership directory and across CalFlowers' social media channels.
And now, for the grand prize of a 2026 Fun 'N Sun registration, a custom canvas print, and the special title of 'Employee of the Month' goes to...Bruno from Arango Green Growers! Congrats!!
See the full photo gallery.
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Member Benefit Spotlight: Online Member Directory
The online membership directory is a valuable tool for connecting with the floral community, providing increased visibility for your business and facilitating networking with other industry professionals. Keeping your profile updated ensures that potential clients and partners can easily find accurate information about your offerings, maximizing the benefits of your membership. Contact us with questions.
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FedEx Updates & Service Disruptions:
FedEx Demand (Peak) season surcharges begin October 28th and run through January 19th. We’ve sent out information detailing what to expect. If you missed the email, you can simply click HERE for complete details from FedEx.
It is recommended to always check for any service delays or alerts before shipping.
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FedEx International Shipping:
See here for an excellent resource from FedEx that walks shippers through the process step by step. First time international shippers inherently have questions on process and paperwork required. If you would like to talk to someone in person whether on the phone or at FedEx office, professional assistance available.
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Additional FedEx Support & Resources: | |
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For those wanting to know who your FedEx representative is, or if you want to be contacted by FedEx, please email Chris Johnson, your FedEx account number and he will respond with information on your FedEx contact. It’s a good practice to establish a relationship with your FedEx representative. They can be of great assistance when needed.
- Call (877) 339-2774 for FedEx’s tech support team, who can help with many tech-related issues including guidance regarding on-line shipping platforms.
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You can have your shipments held at your nearby FedEx Office instead of being delivered to your door. Having shipments held at your local FedEx office can help with temperature management since your boxes will be stored in a temperature-controlled office rather than riding in a truck all morning. It’s also true that you can drop off your shipments at your local FedEx office. This can be an advantage for some parts of the country where having your packages standing by in FedEx office is preferable to being in a truck for hours.
- Find the latest news from FedEx here.
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Surcharges & Claims Resources:
For those members looking for good general information on Surcharges and Claims, the following information can be helpful.
This first resource offers information regarding surcharges and fees. Keep in mind that the CalFlowers program offers members MANY surcharge and fee reductions that are significantly lower than these standard surcharges, however it’s still a good reference point and has some clear definitions on what each fee/surcharge is. If you would like a summary of your program surcharge/fee discounts and waivers, please check our website or email Chris Johnson for a copy.
The second resource is very helpful when you need to file a claim for damaged or lost product. Keep in mind, a product claim is different from our Money Back Guarantee, which applies to shipping charges and is handled differently. Product claims are more involved and can be confusing, but this resource helps navigate the process.
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FedEx New Member Resources:
New members who are just starting with FedEx shipping can utilize the “Customer Training” service that is available upon request. This service offers shippers direct one-on-one assistance from FedEx covering many of the questions new shippers may have. If you are interested in signing up, please contact Chris Johnson. Visit this webpage for excellent information for new shippers.
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We would also like to remind members to stay current with their FedEx Express shipping invoices. FedEx payment terms are 15 days. All members shipping on FedEx Express are expected to stay within the FedEx payment terms. Failure to stay current with FedEx risks your account being delinked from the program. For more information on this issue, contact Chris Johnson.
To obtain your invoice details and payment options, please contact FedEx Customer Service.
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GLS Updates & Transit Map:
Like FedEx, GLS also will implement surcharges during the busy Peak season, however for our account, member shippers will only see a $1/package charge for deliveries to Residential locations when shipping priority. The peak surcharge season runs from October 28th through January 19th.
Check out this interactive Time and Transit map. Plug in your ZIP code and a handy map will show you your 1-day, 2-day transportation options.
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GLS Ground Rates:
The CalFlowers GLS program is one of our popular, most value-priced offerings, with discounts well over 70% off standard rates. GLS offers later pick-ups and earlier deliveries while providing express door-to-door services covering CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, NM, UT, and ID. To take advantage of this service, members must sign up in advance, which only takes a few minutes. For more details, please contact Chris Johnson at (760) 533-5580.
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GLS Program Improvements: | |
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GLS will now honor product claims. If GLS is at fault (acts of God, not included) and the product arrives damaged, significantly late, or just missing, members now can file a claim. We highly recommend member shippers to indicate the correct Declared Value to be covered.
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GLS will credit 100% of shipping costs if your shipment is not delivered on the day promised. Bad weather is excluded. Members will need to request this within 48 hours at customerservice@gls-us.com.
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GLS has given our account access to a special premium team of Customer Service agents. This high-level group was designed for fast response and problem solving. Please contact Chris Johnson for access to this important resource.
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Alaska Air Cargo Program:
If you've been using our new CalFlowers/Alaska Airlines shipping program, you’ve likely experienced the exceptional value it offers. Our program provides outstanding rates to numerous regions across the country, including shipments from California, Portland, Seattle, and now Alaska. Be sure to explore all the program details on our website.
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Did you know Alaska Airlines provides one of the most comprehensive intra-California services, with San Diego serving as its largest hub in the state? Even better, through our exclusive partnership with Alaska Airlines, we offer truly exceptional rates that you won’t find anywhere else. To sign-up, contact Chris Johnson (chris@cafgs.org). | | | | |