Possible new AAW club in the north Houston area?

[Steve Russell]

Hello to the group,

We have a terrific AAW club in the Houston area (Gulf Coast Woodturners Association), but Houston is a really BIG city (2006 Census - 2.14 million/600 square miles in city limits) and I have met numerous turners in the northern parts of Houston and surrounding areas (Conroe, Magnolia, Kingwood, Huntsville etc.) that have not joined GCWA because they say it's too far to go to the meetings.

Many of GCWA's meetings are in the southern, or central part of Houston (they do move the meetings around the city) and if you're in the "far" north as we say, it can be 50+ miles or more one way to attend a meeting. I've been a proud member of GCWA for many years and I have always felt that the long drive to attend the meetings was not a problem, but some of the retired turners I have met recently think it's just too far to actively participate, so they have not joined.

Therefore, I'm trying to gauge if there is any interest in starting a new AAW club in the north Houston area. Houston is certainly large enough to support more than one AAW club... It would be my hope that if this club gets off the ground, it could work with the GCWA to promote and enhance woodturning for all area members.

I'm willing to spearhead the effort to see if there is sufficient interest in starting a new club. I'm a professional woodturner in The Woodlands, Texas area, which is 35 miles north of downtown Houston. Please email me and let me know your thoughts. I would like to say that I have no problems whatsoever with GCWA... I've been a proud member for many years and I have many close friends in the club.

Thanks for your comments. If you prefer to respond via private email, my address is:

steverussell2436@comcast.net

 

[Max Taylor]

new aaw` club

Hi Steve,
I applaud your efforts to help those that are too far away to attend. In your planning, dont forget to factor in the skyrocketing cost of gas. Those of us that are on a fixed income are devastated by it. However, carpooling is an alternative to consider.
Hope your efforts meet with sucess, Max

 

[Steve Russell]

Thanks for your comments...

Hello Max,

Thanks for your comments. One of the reasons I'm looking into starting a new AAW club is because some of the retired turners I've met have indicated that it's just too expensive to drive so far to make a club meeting. They're interested in all that a club has to offer, but they're watching every penny these days.

With the current cost of petrol, a 100 mile round trip to a club meeting can cost $15.00 more or less in fuel alone (assumes a car averaging 20 MPG and $3.00 a gallon petrol). If you're on a fixed income, that can be quite a bit each month.

While it's true that you could carpool to the meetings, I've found that few are interested in doing this. If you need to stop on the way into the meeting, or on the way back, it's hard to do in a carpool. Also, if you need to leave early for a family event or emergency…

So many folks these days are looking for something that's convenient and easy to fit into their busy schedule. Having a club close by helps to fill that need. One other thing I have thought about is the fact that the AAW is actively trying to get new members and supports the formation of new clubs.

If we loose potential members because they live too far away to be active in a club, we all loose. So far, the response has been very positive! Take care and thank you for your posting. Best wishes to you and yours!

 

[JimVH]

Hello Steve,

I'm in the Tomball area and would be very interested in a local group. I'm interested in the GC group, but I'm caught-up in a time and distance trap.

Jim

 

[Steve Russell]

Thanks!

Hello Jim,

Thanks for your interest... I've got you on my list. At this point, it looks like we might have a new club in north Houston... :cool2: Take care and all the best to you and yours!

 

[George K]

Things to consider

Steve,

I would certainly agree with you that Houston is a big city and we have a pretty good number of woodturners in the area. Unfortunately, not all are members of AAW or GCWA.

Before branching off to form your own club I would ask that you consider these points .....

GCWA is effective in the things we do because of the broad base of membership and the volunteers that make things work for the benefit of all of us. Things like our annual Spring Retreat (held in Conroe each year) is a testiment to the dedication and many, many volunteers that work to make that a huge success every year. Last May we had a two day event offering over 50 sessions most of which were hands-on. Over 20 new turners benefited from two days and very close attention from seasoned turners in the Fundamental Track. We pulled together over 75 lathes plus all the supporting equiqment. This was accomplished because of the efforts of a large number of folks all being part of a common group.

The size of our club also allows us to bring in national and international turners and keep the cost down to very low amounts for our members. Again, having a broad base of membership really does make a difference.

For many years we have conducted the monthly general meetings at various locations around town. This has benefits and also some drawbacks. Some folks land up driving a ways at some point in the year. We have explored locations further North for general meetings and we have yet to identify a location that meets the criteria for the club's monthly meeting. We have also openly asked for members to provide input and contact information for alternative meeting locations. So, if you know of an appropriate venue up towards the Woodlands I invite you to bring this to the attention of a board member and aid in making the contacts to help put it together. I agree that it would be good to have some of our meetings further North.

We do have members who drive in regularly from Huntsville for our monthly meetings. I also understand that driving longer distances is a real problem for some folks. Another option that some members use is to find others in the area and form car pools - or in the case of Texas, pickup turck pools! The GCWA web site offers the Forum for active members which includes the membership map. This can be a valuable resource in locating others in your area to potentially share a ride to meetings.

There is also the concept of 'splinter groups' or simply more localized groups of folks who get together to share common interests. I know the Woodworkers Club of Houston has a Conroe splinter group that meets once a month in addition to the regular WWCH momthly meeting. They also have a few topic related splinter groups. I've heard there are several members of GCWA in the Dear Park area who get together regularly for turning and socializing. They continue to be part of the larger GCWA organization and both benefit from and contribute to the overall group.

Personally, I don't see a need for another woodturning club in Houston. I do see that there are ways to build upon what already exists in a way that benefits the current group and still meets some of your stated objectives. One sure way to have more GCWA meetings in your area is to get involved in making that happen. The board contacts are listed in the newsletter and on the club web site.

I would be pleased to discuss these ideas with you in person, by phone, or by e-mail. I also invite you to post to the GCWA Forum for more local input on the topic.

Regards,

george kabacinski

 

[Steve Russell]

Thanks for your comments…

Hello George,

Woodturning brings together a diverse group of individuals that share a common bond – the love of woodturning. I must respectively disagree with your opinion that there is no need for another AAW chapter in the Houston area.

A city as large as Houston (600 square miles, with a population of 3 million give or take in Houston and the nearby surrounding areas) can easily support two active and growing AAW chapters. In addition, the national board of the AAW actively supports and encourages the formation of new AAW chapters.

I understand that it's hard for GCWA to find suitable locations in the north Houston area… We do not have any stores like Woodcraft, Rockler, The Cutting Edge, or similar woodworking/woodturning businesses. This necessitates having club events in the southern part of Houston, where these types of businesses and other suitable facilities are located. This means that potential members in the northern areas must drive great distances to participate in club events.

As an example, the recent GCWA event at the Cutting Edge was 53 miles one way, (106 miles round trip) from my home in The Woodlands. While I've been happy to drive these distances to attend a GCWA event for many years, some people do not wish to, or are unable to drive this far. It's especially hard on retired folks living on a fixed income, or those with young families.

Having a second club in the far north Houston/Woodlands area will allow more people to participate and when this happens, we ALL benefit – You, me, the AAW, GCWA and the north Houston/Woodlands area AAW chapter. I'm a "glass is half full" kind of person, so I see many positive benefits from having a second AAW chapter in the Houston area. It will allow us to meet the needs of those who would like a closer club to attend and bring new members into both clubs (and the AAW) that may not have joined, or participated otherwise.

Once again, I appreciate your thoughts on this, but I believe that having two AAW chapters in the Houston area will help both clubs to grow and prosper. Imagine what two woodturning clubs the size of GCWA in the Houston area could accomplish! I will continue to fully support GCWA and I hope you will support and encourage the north Houston/Woodlands area AAW club when it is formed. Take care and best wishes to you and yours!

P.S. On a side note, I've tried to access the GCWA forums and I keep getting an error message saying that new registrations are not being accepted currently, so there is no way for me to post a message on the club forum. The email link also returns an error, so I have not found a way to let the Webmaster know the problems I've been experiencing. My GCWA roster is dated 1998 (IIRC), so most of the contact information is no longer valid.

 

[n7bsn]

I don't have a horse in this race but....

Back when I first got interested in turning, there was really only one club in the "broader" area (ok so that was, what 20 years ago). It was drive 2+ hrs, or that's it.

When I really got serious (three years ago) there were 5 clubs. Some people still have to drive for over an hour, but it does help people attend these meeting.

Along the same lines, 25 years ago, in the same basic area, there was one place to practice a martial-art I enjoy. Today.... there are are seven or eight.

In both cases, it was the general increase in interest that allowed this growth.

Yes, you do lose some synergy in this splintering, but between the increase in interest and the increases in transport costs (in real dollars), there may be no other choices.

TTFN
Ralph

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

I used to live in Spring Texas, so that might somehow qualify me to express an opinion here, and I think my current club situation might be of interest.

I live in South Florida and we have a Club in Palm Beach . 30 miles to the South we have a club in Fort Lauderdale. The two clubs share many members in common. I belong to both and consider both clubs great, although they are very different. It's the differences that really makes both clubs viable and successful in such a small geographic area.

The new club shouldn't meet too closely to the meeting dates of the established club. Don't try and duplicate meeting styles and formats. Try and be as different as possible in the new club. Don't burn bridges with the existing club. Encourage dual memberships and try and work collaboratively wherever possible in community events.

Good luck.

Ed

 

[gentleben]

Although my wife and I have only been members of GCWA a year and we drive from the the south side of Houston it take around a hour to get to any meeting. The same is true for the people that live east or west of Houston and some times the people that live in Houston. I wouldn't like to see our club splinter for the reasons George stated in his reply. I know weekend before last Bonnie Kline was at Uof H, wehad a turning demo going on the north side of town and one going on the southe side of town. With smaller size groups I seriouly doubt we could have pull all that off. Besides on a Saturday morning it doen't take a hour to dive from the Woodlands to any place in houston.
David Lawrence