My Eye-Opener
As a brand-spanking-new member of the Board of Directors of the AAW, I must say it has been an education.
Last month, in his message for the membership, Stan Wellborn marveled at the cohesive contribution made to the club by the volunteers, be they on the Board of Directors or members at large with special expertise.
Being an AAW member for the last decade, I was quite happy to receive the journal, go to the yearly symposium and occasionally communicate with friends I made there.
Little did I know about the awesome depth of our organization, the work that goes into the varying endeavors. All that for a nominal membership fee.
If you take the time to spend an hour on our website, you will be amazed at the treasures of information available to turners–the help to set up and run chapters, the gallery, the forum, the ability to contact any one of 14,000 turners all over the world, all of whom, I am sure, are willing to share their thoughts with you.
Take the symposium by itself. I will never forget my first attendance. Seeing David Ellsworth making the last fine cut in a thin-walled bowl of spalted maple brought it home to me what skill level is possible to achieve. Maybe not for me, but certainly worth striving for.
This year, our 25th Anniversary will be a truly international event, with more visitors and demonstrators from outside the USA than ever before.
And our organization is destined to continue to grow internationally. There is absolutely nothing to compare to the AAW in the turning world.
See you all in St Paul.
Botho van Hamplen
