Club Activities

[Paul M. Kaplowitz]

When I lived in Connecticut club members would bring a piece of wood to each meeting. Each person who brought wood, would write his name on a dollar bill and drop it into a bowl(what else?). The names would be drawn and that member would choose a piece of wood. The dollars went into the club treasury for demonstrators or other things. Anybody have any other activites we could do at meetings. Thanks, pmk

 

[Timothy Rowe]

what else

Are you trying to raise money or just things to do?

We have a bring back raffle. Every month whoever won the bring back the month before brings something for the next month. THis way you can win other members turning for your collection.

We sell tickets for a dollar for the wood that is brought that way you can win more than 1 piece. If I find a tree cut down that is more than I can turn alone,
I may bring 5 or 6 pieces for the club raffle. And that way you can raise more than the pieces available. Since you will/may sell more tickets than pieces available.

We also do a instant gallery at meetings where the members bring in their pieces to show off or if the have questions about it, they can ask the other members for guidance.

 

[glenkey]

Are you trying to raise money or just things to do?

We have a bring back raffle. Every month whoever won the bring back the month before brings something for the next month. THis way you can win other members turning for your collection.

We sell tickets for a dollar for the wood that is brought that way you can win more than 1 piece. If I find a tree cut down that is more than I can turn alone,
I may bring 5 or 6 pieces for the club raffle. And that way you can raise more than the pieces available. Since you will/may sell more tickets than pieces available.

We also do a instant gallery at meetings where the members bring in their pieces to show off or if the have questions about it, they can ask the other members for guidance.

There for a moment I though you were in the same club I'm in, as we do the same, as in bring backs. We don't sell tickets, give them away trying to get folks involved. Have had some of the more seasoned turners bring in some of their best, getting the club into the bring back mode.
We have just moved into a new building and have a lot of wood that was donated to the club by members that is for sale to help the club.
Our raffle consist of new products that are purchased from wherever the guy gets it from, to be fair to everyone you can only win once during the night of the meeting.

 

[robo hippy]

We have a raffle every month, but it isn't limited to wood. There are some old tools (a Tormek once), planer blades from the saw mills, corian, soap stone, abrasives, and whatever some one else may be able to use. There is another raffle as well. There is a monthly challenge, mostly relating to what was the demonstration the previous month. Any one who brings in a challenge project gets a ticket for a drawing for a gift certificate to Woodcraft where our meetings are held, and to Craft Supplies who sends us gift certificates because we are an AAW chapter (Beaver State Woodturners).

robo hippy

 

[LHauch]

Our club Woodturners of Olympiaholds a wood raffle before demonstrations (we have a couple of meetings a year where we do Turn & Learn sessions - no raffle.) Member are encouraged to bring in any turnable wood (from logs to pen blanks, no junk 'firewood').
Members can purchase raffle tickets for $1 per ticket. We use the money to offset the cost of the build we rent for our meetings. There are enough members who are part of our 'wood rats' group that get notified when trees are available, that we always have a nice selection of wood for the raffle.
About the most number of 'lots' (we group some items so that folks can get more than just one piece) that I can remember was 59. Normally, we have about 25 lots. Not bad for a club of 100 members, with about 50 - 60 showing up for meetings regularly. Chances of getting your number drawn are good.

Cheers,
Larry

 

[glenkey]

About the most number of 'lots' (we group some items so that folks can get more than just one piece) that I can remember was 59. Normally, we have about 25 lots. Not bad for a club of 100 members, with about 50 - 60 showing up for meetings regularly. Chances of getting your number drawn are good.

Cheers,
Larry

Geez Larry, that sounds good.
I'm one of the wood rats in our club WWW.NEOWTA.COM but we also have a "green waste yard" where the trimmers take the trees they cut up. And yes they are cut UP. Wish they wouldn't do that. But you can always get local wood there for free(sweat labor) and they don't care how much you take, if it goes bad before you get around to turning it you can take it back and get something that's not cracked up.

 

[Steven Antonucci]

We have challenges

Some times, they are themed (turn a hollowform)

Other times, everyone gets a similar size piece of wood and told "do something"...

Just getting folks out of their comfort zone is the aim of most challenges.

S

 

[DOCworks]

Wood Auction

Our club does a wood auction before our main presenter. Members donate wood and the proceeds go into the club funds. I've also heard of local clubs giving members a block of wood each and see who comes up with the best use or if given a specific design ...well you get the picture. Gets everyone involved. We also do Christmas ornaments for the Festival of Trees at the local museum every year. Good PR and we get a few bucks from sales in the gift shop (leftovers from the tree decoration). Also gives us an opportunity to involve new members and we have at least one hands-on free class for those that want to learn or socialize...I think more just want to get together. We had about 20 last weekend.