Local Chapter Membership

[Mark Warden]

How many of you do not belong to a local chapter ? Just wondering if I'm alone out here. For reasons I don't need to explain I am unable to go to a local chapter and I just saw the Raffle for the PM lathe and once again there is no way listed to get tickets other than a local chapter or be able to attend the symposium. I just feel that the AAW don't care about the individual members. This is not the 1st time information or opportunities were not made available to individual members.

 

[AlanZ]

I belong to two local chapters.

Actually the way I found out about the AAW is because my first local chapter requires AAW membership to be part of the group (citing insurance and charter reasons)

 

[bbergst]

It is not the AAW but the state of Minnesota that prevents the selling of raffle tickets over the Internet. For that reason they are sent to the clubs to dissimenate them. I'm someone here could send one to you.

 

[Gynia]

For reasons I don't need to explain I am unable to go to a local chapter

The club I belong to has many members who never attend club meetings or events.

There are benefits to being a club member that can be realized without attending club meetings or events. Club membership is usually a nominal cost. If you explain your situation you may even secure a membership at a reduced cost.

 

[hockenbery]

Mark,

The AAW cares about individuals.

Many things like selling raffle tickets require individuals to step up and do the work. Chapter representatives do this to sell raffle tickets.

Many things are done through the distributed chapter network.

It isn't perfect but the chapters should be the local connection to AAW.
We know there are AAW chapter members who are not current AAW members. There are AAW members like yourself who do not belong to any chapter.

Hopefully you might someday be able to take advantage of chapter membership. If you were to contact a local chapter. I'm sure they would sell you a raffle ticket.

-Al

 

[Steve Worcester]

Maybe a web based chapter would solve some of this?

For a long time, I have thought about a internet based chapter, but the problems with demos is that they would have to be broadcast and that is where most of the chapters money would go, streaming media. Not exorbitant, but the startup costs might be a little high with cameras and the web portal.

If anyone knows that end of it, contact me and maybe we can start brainstorming. Initially at least, maybe turningwood can sponsor some of the startup costs.

 

[Bart Leetch]

I belong to two local chapters.

Actually the way I found out about the AAW is because my first local chapter requires AAW membership to be part of the group (citing insurance and charter reasons)

I would like to belong to a local chapter but refuse to pay two memberships to belong to a local club + drive 60 miles round trip to a meeting..
I belonged to a local WW club for a year which is the other group associated to the turning club & never belonged to bigger far away WW club for insurance purposes.

There a lot of nice people in the AAW but the last fiasco left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[Robin Thompson]

I am a new member at AAW,but not a member of a local chapter. My hometown is Sarnia, Ontario and I am currently living and working in Whitehorse, Yukon. From Whitehorse, I think the nearest local chapter would be Calgary, Alberta - a mere 2300 KM. No point in joining there. I have been in touch with the local chapter in London Ontario and will be joining there sometime in early 2012. Round trip from Sarnia is 120 miles. It will be worth the travel time. I am really looking forward to that. As far as not being able to enter raffles etc. no big deal to me personally. For now I am doing a lot of forum reading and browsing on this site. The expertise and experience on this site is invaluable.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I only drive about 25 miles to get to club meetings, but some of our members drive about a hundred miles. We have a few members who live further away and don't make many of the meetings including a member in Alaska. Can anybody top that?

Local woodturning clubs are not controlled by the AAW and do not financially support the AAW or vice versa. Most, if not all, choose to be affiliated with the AAW for the benefits of being a part of a cohesive group.

 

[Bill Blasic]

I belong to four clubs located in PA, NY and OH all of which except PA are well over 100 miles away. With the price of fuel I no longer go to every meeting but still make my fair share. It is well worth the time and energy to attend club meetings and there are great demonstrations several times a year at each club.
Bill

 

[john lucas]

Well I belong to 3 clubs, the furthest one is 100 mile drive, then 50 miles and my local one is 10 miles. We started the local one because we found there was enough interest locally and they didn't want to drive to the one that was in the next town at that time it was 37 miles. You might look around and see if you can find other people interested and start your own chapter.
that being said I would guess 2/3rd of the members of each club are not members of the AAW. I know I have also run into local people who are members of the AAW but simply don't want to come to club meetings or they can't meet on that night. It's impossible to be all things to all people so that sort of thing will happen.
I suspect there will be a more web based turning group in the future simply because that's what the younger generation is into. Personally I like the fellowship of meeting with real people, not computers.

 

[Bob Reilly]

I have call 3 members( listed as contacts on their site) of NJ chapter for info over the last month to attend & join the monthly meeting. Still no call back. So I gave up

 

[odie]

There is no local chapter here, and I'm not really interested in traveling.

ooc

 

[hockenbery]

I have call 3 members( listed as contacts on their site) of NJ chapter for info over the last month to attend & join the monthly meeting. Still no call back. So I gave up

Bob,
I've heard Northeast people can be less friendly than the south but a woodturner not returning a phone call is unusual in any area.

I've never know the wood turners in the northeast to be unfriendly.

what chapter did you try?

-Al

 

[KurtB]

If I'm not mistaken, one of the NJ clubs recently closed. Maybe someone can help my memory here...

 

[Mark Warden]

If I'm not mistaken, one of the NJ clubs recently closed. Maybe someone can help my memory here...

This thread is what I think you are refering to.
http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/showthread.php?t=8406&highlight=sad+news

 

[Dean Center]

Bob,
I've heard Northeast people can be less friendly than the south but a woodturner not returning a phone call is unusual in any area.
-Al

A year ago as a brand new woodturner, I contacted the listed president of a club where I would be visiting and didn't hear back after 2 tries. Pretty famous people in this club, too. Otherwise, I've found woodturners to be almost universally very helpfu and generous.
Dean

 

[Thomas Stegall]

PM lathe raffle

To answer the original question about buying a ticket for the raffle;

You don't have to be present to win. Binh has been working hard to benefit the AAW and has been busy selling tickets to clubs and to individuals (with or without a club membership). I would suggest sending him an e-mail and making arrangements with him if you want to buy a ticket, but don't have a connection to a local club.

I will be bringing the lathe to the symposium from Binh's house, but since you live in MT you will have to make arrangements with the AAW if you win.

 

[Dean Center]

I will be bringing the lathe to the symposium from Binh's house, but since you live in MT you will have to make arrangements with the AAW if you win.

The OP is Mark who is in PA. But I'd be happy to drive to St. Paul and bring the lathe home to MT.

 

[Betty Scarpino]

To answer the original question about buying a ticket for the raffle;

You don't have to be present to win. Binh has been working hard to benefit the AAW and has been busy selling tickets to clubs and to individuals (with or without a club membership). I would suggest sending him an e-mail and making arrangements with him if you want to buy a ticket, but don't have a connection to a local club.

I will be bringing the lathe to the symposium from Binh's house, but since you live in MT you will have to make arrangements with the AAW if you win.

I am fairly sure that Powermatic is providing shipping to the winner, within the continental USA. There is a $500 allowance for shipping outside the USA, if that's where the winner lives. Such a deal!

Betty Scarpino, editor, AW

 

[Wipedout]

I am fairly sure that Powermatic is providing shipping to the winner, within the continental USA. There is a $500 allowance for shipping outside the USA, if that's where the winner lives. Such a deal!

Betty Scarpino, editor, AW

It's a great deal - Just a shame I cant buy any tickets

 

[wnnelson]

To answer the original question about buying a ticket for the raffle;

You don't have to be present to win. Binh has been working hard to benefit the AAW and has been busy selling tickets to clubs and to individuals (with or without a club membership). I would suggest sending him an e-mail and making arrangements with him if you want to buy a ticket, but don't have a connection to a local club.

I will be bringing the lathe to the symposium from Binh's house, but since you live in MT you will have to make arrangements with the AAW if you win.

I assume the point of this raffle is to raise money for some endeavor of the AAW. From some of the responses here it appears many local clubs had no idea that they needed to request tickets. I saw no mention of the raffle in any of the local club new letters I receive. It would appear there was a lack of either getting the word out to the clubs or the clubs getting the word to the members. I know the clubs I go to announce virtually every bit of news they receive from the AAW. I don't think they would have ignored this information on purpose. There appears to be a huge pool of potential funds that are not being tapped for this raffle. Should the raffle go on as planned or should it be put on hold so a much larger member base can have a chance? I would have bought some tickets even though I would never want to use much less get dust on a lathe that is that nice.

 

[Mark Warden]

I guess the privileged few who have access to the tickets have a better chance to win if less tickets are sold.

 

[dbonertz]

Yes it is a conspiracy so I can win the lathe. Now I must remember to go to our meeting next Thursday to buy that special ticket that was sent for me.

 

[allen jay]

trouble maker

hey dale you should get a bigger stick to stir this pot.
on and by the way when you do win that lathe i am assuming your 300 will be for sale???

 

[Bill Boehme]

You don't have to be present to win. Binh has been working hard to benefit the AAW and has been busy selling tickets to clubs and to individuals (with or without a club membership). I would suggest sending him an e-mail and making arrangements with him if you want to buy a ticket, but don't have a connection to a local club.

Apparently nobody bothered reading your post. In order to purchase raffle tickets, one does not need to belong to any woodturning club since this is an AAW activity. However, for obvious reasons, you must be an AAW member. And yes, Mark, only we privileged few (approximately 14K) are allowed to participate.

 

[dbonertz]

"by the way when you do win that lathe i am assuming your 300 will be for sale???"

Not a chance Allen. To much love put into my 300. If I won the raffle lathe I would donate it to the AAW for there permanent collection anyway. But since I don't have a raffle ticket I don't think that will happen. Since I jokingly made the earlier comment I better stay away from the raffle just in case I would accidentily win.

 

[Wipedout]

Apparently nobody bothered reading your post. In order to purchase raffle tickets, one does not need to belong to any woodturning club since this is an AAW activity. However, for obvious reasons, you must be an AAW member. And yes, Mark, only we privileged few (approximately 14K) are allowed to participate.

But Bill unless you go to the Symposium or to a local club meeting (assuming they have some) there is no other way to buy tickets.

You may not have to belong to a club but I am at a lost on how to buy tickets. The AAW is unable to help me.

 

[davidwalser]

But Bill unless you go to the Symposium or to a local club meeting (assuming they have some) there is no other way to buy tickets.

You may not have to belong to a club but I am at a lost on how to buy tickets. The AAW is unable to help me.

I think someone mentioned that this isn't necessarily the AAW's fault. For whatever reason, MN law evidently prevents the AAW from selling the tickets on-line or over the phone. (I've not looked into the legal issues. I'm merely restating what's been reported on this forum.) Could the AAW have come up with a ticket distribution plan that might have avoided the issue? Maybe. I don't know what legal constraints they are working under. I do know they didn't set things up just so you cannot buy a ticket. Obviously, they want to sell as many tickets as possible.

Have you called Binh Pho (as was suggested) and asked if he can arrange for you to purchase tickets? His contact information can be found here: http://www.woodturner.org/org/staff_dirs.htm If Binh cannot help, perhaps nothing can be done. I'd offer to buy a ticket for you (we could settle up later), but our local club doesn't meet until just before the symposium.

Good luck!

 

[Bob Reilly]

just an update I received pm from here in NJ today with the info I was looking.
Thank you Steve.