About Us

The African Violet Council of Florida (AVCF) was founded January 14, 1978, in Tampa FL, hosted by the Tampa African Violet Society. Alice Yawger of Clearwater, FL, had previously lived in New Jersey and was active in the New Jersey Council of African Violet Societies. She felt there was sufficient interest in a council in Florida and spearheaded the effort to form a council in Florida. Accordingly, she was appointed as Temporary Chair for the idea and thus the charter meeting was convened in Tampa with 45 people attending. Officers were elected and installed and Alice Yawger became the first president of the newly formed African Violet Council of Florida (the Council).  
Just nine years later, in 1987, the Council hosted the African Violet Society of America’s (AVSA) annual convention and show in Orlando with Jim and DoDe Whitaker of Merritt Island as Convention Co-Chairs, Rita Hilton of Bartow as Convention Vice-Chair, Bob Green of Rockledge as Show Chair, and Marilyn Goldstein of Hollywood as Show Vice-Chair.
The Council has also hosted AVSA annual conventions and shows in 1997 at St. Pete Beach, and in 2017 in Orlando.
Additionally, the Council hosted the 37th Annual Convention of the Dixie African Violet Society in 1993 in Orlando, in 1986 in Jacksonville, in 2001 in Tampa, and in 2007 in Lakeland.
The Council has also sponsored its own annual conventions and shows beginning in 1979 and continuing through 2019, with a brief interruption caused by a world-wide pandemic, but with plans in place for a “Plant Display and Sale” in Lakeland in October 2021, and a convention and show in 2022.  
AVCF is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, It produces a quarterly newsletter, The Florida Connection, as a benefit for members. The Council is governed by elected officers who serve as an Executive Board and with the help of chairs of Standing Committees. The Executive Board meets once yearly at its annual convention..

For membership information, click here.