President’s Message – June 2012

Letter from your President. Gary Burns

Well hard to believe, but your executive has made it through a year. One meeting to go

until summer break. Remember this is the last meeting until September.

 It will be Thursday June 7th, 7 P.M. The first week of June not the second week as the school will be closed.

If we manage to get our same time slot we are planning on the second Thursday of each month starting back in Sept. I will e-mail everyone when that is confirmed. [DB:  or visit the website regularly]

I would like to thank all the exec members that stayed on, also I would like to thank Adam for volunteering for the years he did, and thank Guthrie for standing for the secretary job for the year. The club only exists when members dig in and help out.

I would like to welcome Beverley as our new secretary, and Albert as our new Audio, video man working with Allan.

We have found the Chips Fly part of our general meeting (6:30 to 7 PM )  has  been  very successful and appreciated. We all owe thanks to Lance for getting this rolling, along with thanks to all the members who participated and made this happen.

If you have not been watching and reading our web page, maybe you should be.

The F.V.W.G. won 3rd place in the AAW for best web page.  The AAW has over 350 chapters. A big congratulations to Derek, our very own Webmaster.

May was a terrific month for our club. Thanks to Lance and  Phil for manning the lathes 6:30 to 7;PM

Thanks to Gloria for lineing up Eric Lofstrom for our Thursday night demonstration along with the Friday hands on and the full day Saturday demo at Bow River. All three days were a great success. We had 32 people show up for the Saturday demo and a full class for the hands on Friday.

Thanks to Murray for opening his house and hosting Eric while he was in town.

Bow River and their staff did an excellent job of hosting the events, providing the wood, setting up for the events, arranging lunches etc. Thanks to everyone involved there.

Murray, Allan, and Albert did a super job of having everything run smoothly: from set ups, to audio/ video. Thanks to you all for volunteering your day, and doing a great job.

June 7th meeting will be, once again, something different. We will have club members making pens, bottles stoppers, fridge magnets, and what ever else we can get going.

It will be a great opportunity to see many experienced members making a variety of items for gifts. And maybe getting some time on a lathe if time permits. Any members wishing to donate small turned items for gifts bring them in and we will have a box set up for donated items.

June 7th will also be a big sales day, I mean big, so plan on bringing lots of cash. The guild has many sponsors who have generously donated items to our guild. 

We will be having a silent auction of all those items. Like turning smocks, tool bags, pen presses, live centers, tool rests, faceplates etc.  The deal is the starting price will be 50% or less than retail price. Bids will be in $1.00 amounts, no pennies or change. If you want it, put your name on the sheet with what you are willing to pay and keep checking to see if you have been out bid. Highest bidder at the end of the night will be the proud owner of the item. It will be fun. Gloria and Beverley will be taking care of the table. Table bidding will end at 9 PM sharp.

Oh ya, also the table is open to members wishing to sell items related to wood turners. The club will collect 10% of selling price as commission. All items brought in by members must have their name and selling amount on their items. All unsold items must go home with the owners.

Anyone who has club rentals or library item should be returning them to avoid costs for returning them in Sept.

June 7th Presidents Challenge is turnings with no sanding permitted, just sharp tool work.

Goodies supplied this month by Brent Hansen, Murray Harris, Gloria Herberts, Lee Herberts, Neva Hilliard, Dale Holtz.

Wood or Tool Raffle donations: Bring wood blanks or a roughed out bowl blanks. Bring something you would use yourself. This month Dale Seguin, Dianne Sjodin, Murray Sluys, Al Thorn and Chris Van Netten will each be bringing something good!

Don’t forget to get a door prize ticket, and to buy wood raffle tickets. I will bring in the last of the sponsors wood to add to our members offerings.

Also the Instant members Gallery and Presidents challenge has nice give aways.

After the coffee break we will call out auction winners. Have your cash ready.

We will adjourn the meeting prior to the wood raffle so everyone can socialize, as I am sure the lathe captains will be busy answering members questions.

Any members willing to take part in demonstrating at fairs, markets etc this year see Gary. ( some allow members to sell their stuff ).

Looking forward to a great Thursday night. Try not to miss it, it should be a fun night.

Gary