About Us

Our Task The primary mission of OrchidMania South Florida is to provide financial and moral support to grassroots AIDS prevention and relief organizations, without discriminating on the basis of race, religion, age, national origin, sex, sexual preference, or physical handicap. Moreover, it is our goal to encourage interest and enthusiasm for orchid cultivation in public areas, conservation, and appreciation while providing a positive vehicle for ANYONE to donate their time and talents to AIDS relief.

The money generated by the various fundraising activities of OrchidMania South Florida, is used to fund the needs and activities of Project Cradle, an affiliated volunteer organization of the University Of Miami Miller School Of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics

The Orchid Doctor	Alex Lamazares, known as “The Orchid Doctor”, has been the president of the organization since 1997. He is considered a respected authority amongst his peers for his no-nonsence approach to growing and caring for orchids. He delivers several Orchid workshops and presentations at orchid clubs and private homes, all over the state of Florida throughout the year. One of his greatest ‘orchid world’ achievements was to be invited to give talks on orchid care and repotting at the 2008 World Orchid Congress held in Miami, Florida.
Richard	Richard LaCabe, a career flight attendant, started volunteering at OrchidMania in 2003 and has a great interest in tropical plants and orchids. He enjoys the friendships he has created with the other volunteers and loves learning about orchids.
Roli	Rolando F. Garcia, who works in real estate financing, has been a volunteer with Orchidmania since its inception in South Florida in 1997. He enjoys a number of hobbies but most of all the cultivation of orchids.
Marriane	Marianne Swan, retiree from the Miami-Dade police department, is the newest volunteer joining in 2006. A Miami native she also volunteers at Fairchild Tropical Gardens. Has always been interested in botany with special interest in orchids. She is very happy in being able to combine her interests in orchids with the charitable aspects of OrchidMania.
Linda	Linda Pincus, a sales & marketing representative for bottled waters and wines, joined OrchidMania as a volunteer in 2002 to learn more about orchids. She loves the friendships she has created with the other members of OrchidMania and is always enthusiasic about raising money for their charitable cause.
Rolando	Rolando Lastra, a Director of product development for ladies golf & tennis wear for the past 33 years, has been a volunteer with OrchidMania since it was established in 1997. His main reason for joining was to assist in the charitable work of helping children in the community. He had no knowledge of orchids, but has learned alot through working with them and finds it to be a great way to relax.
Gaston	Gaston Sanchez, works in the financial brokerage industry and has been a volunteer at OrchidMania since 2006. OrchidMania has been an excellent avenue for helping a great cause, expanding his knowledge of orchids and making friends.
Karl	Karl Kremser, married to his lovely wife Hill since 1968, he is a retired soccer coach and president of the Coral Gables Orchid Society. He has been volunteering at OrchidMania since 2004. First introduced by fellow volunteer Eleanor Lahn.
Hill	Hill Kremser, She is a flight attendant and has been volunteering at OrchidMania since 2004 alongside her husband Karl. She enjoys working with orchids and supports the same charities as OrchidMania.
Gerson	Gerson Molina, has been with OrchidMania since May 2009. He learned about them at an orchid show and decided to volunteer.
Nicholas Savarino	Nicholas Savarino, Volunteering since 2009, he had been looking to volunteer for a cause he could get excited about adn after meeting Alex all dressed in yellow he found his calling. What keeps him going is the wonderful people and the orchids. He learns something new everyday.
Lisa	Lisa, New volunteer since 2010.