Ron:
I am a member of Great Swamp. we meet next Tuesday. It's a strong and active club. Dues, as I remember, are $35. Our members include nationally known experts and plenty of beginners. Jay (of Bonsai Talk) is also a member.
For our October meeting, Berni Gastrich from Connecticut and Yama Ki bonsai club will do a lecture/demo on bending large limbs successfully - an exciting advanced technique.
FWIW, MidAtlantic is the regional Association.
We'll look forward to meeting your friend. The Arboretum is on E Hanover Ave, East of I-287. If he's unsure of the location, he can drop me an eMail at
Bartsai@optonline.net