AAW Board Message

[note]The following is a message from AAW President Dale Larson[/note]

Planning 2012 and Beyond

AAW 2012 symposium flyerThe American Association of Woodturners finished 2011 with more than 14,500 members and over 350 chapters in the United States and around the world. We are looking forward to continued growth of our organization and another successful year in 2012. Thank you for your continued support.

The AAW board just returned from our winter meeting in San Jose, where this year’s symposium will be held in June. We met with enthusiastic AAW members from five local chapters who will assist in coordinating the planning for the symposium. Dean Adkins and his crew have been working since last summer doing all the pre-planning and organization it takes to make the symposium a success.

We have a great lineup of demonstrators and programs planned. You can follow information on the symposium as it is posted at http://www.woodturner.org/sym/sym2012. Come to San Jose June 7-10 for a great time and rub shoulders with some of the best woodturners in the United States and around the world.

The board has selected Tampa, Florida, for the 2013 symposium. The dates will be June 27-30, 2013. So mark those dates on your calendar.

Woodturning Fundamentals Program

Linda Ferber, AAW program director, and Kurt Hertzog, chair of our Chapters and Membership Committee, have announced a new AAW program for woodturners. The goal of this new online program is to provide basic woodturning fundamentals to our members and to serve as a resource for all turners. Centralized information will be found on the Woodturning Fundamentals page of our website. In addition to the information on the website, an e-newsletter with turning tips and skill building ideas will be sent out to members in the months the journal is not published. Check out the page at http://www.woodturner.org/community/fundamentals and sign up to receive the e-newsletter.

The AAW recently completed the paperwork to bring our 501(c)(3) non-profit status with the IRS up to date. We have sent a letter out to our members explaining the process, and thank those who participated in the vote.

AAW has a lot of great things planned for 2012, and we wish you the best for the coming year.

Dale Larson
AAW Board President

AAW / Message

What’s Happening at Other Chapters

The Inland Northwest Woodturners in Spokane Valley will be holding their next meeting on February 2nd. The program agenda will feature a discussion with Jim Chrisiansen on “Exhibiting and Selling Your Turnings”. Jim is their resident professional.

The Northwest Woodturners in Tigard, Oregon are meeting on February 2nd and will have a double the learning evening. There will be two demonstrations, one by Ashley Harwood dedicated to the gouge, and another by Sorby Tools.

The Calgary Woodturners will be meeting on February 7th at the Black Forest Wood Co. in Calgary.

The Seattle Woodturners will be meeting on February 9th. The demonstrator for the evening will be Alan Carter who will be presenting on long stemmed goblets.

The Fraser Valley Woodturners Guild in Abbotsford, B.C. are holding their next meeting on February 9th. The meeting will feature a presentation by Veejay, owner of Mohawk Finishing Products, who will be demonstrating his company’s products.

The Cascade Woodturners in Portland, Oregon, will be meeting on February 16th. This month’s program will include Neill Seigel demonstrating wooden dippers with handles.

The Northwest Washington Woodturners in Mount Vernon, WA will meet next on February 16th. Their featured demonstrator will be Don Derry.

The Greater Vancouver Woodturners Guild in Vancouver, B.C. is meeting on February 22nd and will have a demonstration by Art Liestman on turning a box using the lost wood method.

The Olympic Peninsula Woodturners in Bremerton will be meeting on February 29th with a demonstration by AAW President Dale Larson.

The Island Woodturners Guild on Vancouver Island will be meeting on February 25th. The program for the afternoon had not yet been announced.

AAW / chapter profile

First Issue of Woodturning Fundamentals

The AAW has kicked off a new opt-in program called Woodturning Fundamentals. The intent is to provide a source for basic skills and techniques in the months when the American Woodturner magazine is not published. This new program is available to any AAW member.

The first issue was recently delivered to the subscribers and there is some good information included. There is a tutorial on sharpening the skew, an article by Nick Cook on Twenty Ways Not to Turn a Bowl, a video tip by Beth Ireland on a quick trick to find the center of your turning stock, Q&A from an AAW member on food safe finishes and a link to a safety video series created by the Mid-South Woodturners Guild. Here is one of their safety videos:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSwheRq54D0

The Woodturning Fundamentals are another benefit of membership in the AAW. The cost of membership in the AAW is very reasonable. You can get more information on Woodturning Fundamentals and AAW membership here.

AAW / newsletter

Message From the AAW

Note – SPSW President Dan Stromstad informed us earlier this month that our chapter had submitted the required paperwork to the IRS to become a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. This took quite a bit of effort by many people.

The AAW has sent out a message to all AAW members regarding the AAW’s 501(c)(3) status and needs your vote. Here is the message:

January 25, 2012

Dear AAW member,

Last October, the AAW Board discovered that we needed to file new paperwork with the Internal Revenue Service in order to bring our organization into full compliance with our 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. Over the last three months, we have worked closely with our attorney to complete this process.

Let me explain why we are doing this by starting with a little history. AAW was originally incorporated in Texas. The Texas AAW corporation applied for and received 501(c)(3) nonprofit status from the IRS. In 1990, the AAW moved to Minnesota and incorporated there. In October of 2011, we learned that the IRS designation didn’t automatically transfer from Texas to the new Minnesota corporation in 1990. IRS rules do not allow the current AAW to go back now and transfer our original tax-exempt designation to the current AAW.

I am happy to report that the AAW has been granted new 501(c)(3) status as a new corporation in the state of Minnesota. The IRS expedited our request and on January 13, 2012, approved the new corporation’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit status dating from November 14, 2011.

Now we need your help. Minnesota requires that our membership vote to approve a merger of the existing AAW into the new AAW corporation. In order to complete this process, we will be asking all AAW members to vote in favor of this action no later than February 23rd, 2012.

The Board is asking for your yes vote because Minnesota requires that at least at least 10 percent of our membership vote and that a majority of those voters vote to approve for the merger to go forward. Our 501(c)(3) status allows us to receive tax-deductible donations from individuals, as well as certain corporation, foundation and government funding, and to qualify for exemptions from some taxes and fees that AAW would otherwise have to pay. Please take the time to vote yes. You can view the merger plan here.

Please follow the link below to vote. The voting period will be 30 days starting January 25th, 2012. We have sent out paper ballots to our members who do not have e-mail addresses.

If anyone has further questions about this issue, please feel free to contact me or another member of the Board.

Thank you for your continued support of AAW as we make this transition.

Sincerely,

Dale Larson

President

American Association of Woodturners

___________________________________________________________________________________

Ballot to Approve a Merger of American Association of Woodturners, Inc., a Minnesota nonprofit corporation, into American Association of Woodturners, a Minnesota nonprofit corporation

Please indicate below whether you approve the proposed merger of the current corporation, American Association of Woodturners, Inc., into a newly-formed Minnesota nonprofit corporation, American Association of Woodturners. This merger is being undertaken to correct a legal error that occurred at the time of incorporation in Minnesota, in 1990. The merger will correct the error, but should not affect the membership,operations or programs of AAW.

Please vote by clicking on the link below. Ballots must be received by February 24, 2012, in order to be counted. Mailed or e-mailed ballots may not be revoked.

AAW must receive 10% of the membership’s completed ballots in order to meet the quorum requirements for a membership vote. Since there were10,912 number of voting members, as of January 1, 2012, AAW must receive 1091 completed ballots in order for the quorum requirement to be met. In order for the amendment to be approved, fifty-one percent (51%) of members returning ballots (assuming that the total number of ballots returned meets the quorum requirement) must vote”Yes”.

Please click here to vote.

AAW / Message

January Meeting – Second Try

Note – The following message is from Communications Director Bill Wood

OK Folks, Here we go again.

The good Lord willing and the crick don’t rise, and we don’t have snow, ice, and high winds, we will have a meeting this month on Thursday, January 26th.

The doors will open at 6:00 and the festivities will begin at 7:00, at the Fife Community Center. Stephen Hatcher will be the main attraction. Be there or be left out.

President Dan has promised that this will be a very fun evening.

Membership Meeting

Upcoming Woodturning Events

Idaho Artistry in Wood

southwes idaho woodturners associationThe Southwest Idaho Woodturners Association is co-sponsoring the 2012 Idaho Artistry in Wood Show will be held Saturday, February 25 and Sunday, February 26 at the Boise Hotel and Conference Center, 3300 Vista Ave., Boise, Idaho. This is a juried show with classifications for skill levels from beginner to expert. Participants can win cash prizes for their work. There will also be vendors, a banquet and auction. Registration will take place on Friday, February 24, 2012 from 12-6 p.m. at the Conference center. You can find more detailed information at the Artistry in Wood website.

The cost of participation in the show is $3 per entry for pieces pre-registered by February 15, 2012 and $5 for registrations at the door. Youth 16 and under may compete without cost.

Southern States Woodturning Symposium

Several AAW chapters are collaborating to host the 12th Annual Southern States Woodturning Symposium April 27–29, 2012 at the Georgia Mountains Conference Center in Gainesville, GA. Featured demonstrators include Kimberly Winkle, Jimmy Clewes, Bill Grumbine and Mark St. Leger. Activities include: an instant gallery, and for those who choose, a critique by two of the featured demonstrators, banquet, auction, and vendor displays. More detailed information can be found at the Southern States Woodturning Symposium website.

Utah Woodturning Symposium

utah woodturning symposiumOne of the most well known symposiums, the Utah Woodturning Symposium is scheduled for May 17–19 in Orem, Utah. Demonstrators include: Nick Agar, Trent Bosch, Rex Burningham, Brian Gisi, Kurt Hertzog, Mike Mahoney, Johannes Michelson, Dale Nish, Binh Pho, Richard Raffan, Malcolm Tibbetts, and Tom Wirsing. In addition to the more than 80 demonstrations there will be many other activities including an instant gallery, banquet, live and silent auctions, swap meet and vendor displays. There will also be a penturners rendezvous. Early registration for the three day event is $275 which includes the Friday banquet. Get more information at the Utah Woodturning Symposium website.

woodturning events