Future of the group - Volunteer

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reddwil

reddwil

Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2008
Messages
1,057
Location
Loganville, Georgia, USA.
Happy Memorial Day...

As some of you know our attendance has been way down the last several meetings, it has also been suggested to let our chapter dissolve because of it. Regardless of what we decide, I will no longer be able to head up our group. Between work and trying to retire, selling my houses and property, my wife's health and my own health issues, I simply do not have time. Pen turning has unfortunately become something I had to put to the side as well as many other hobbies for now.

If one of our great members would like to pick up the reigns and try to move the group forward, that would be awesome. I love the fellowship and I hate to see the group die off, but I don't think its fair to Woodcraft when we only have 7-8 members come to meeting when they could be making money on the class room. Maybe we could try two meetings a year and if attendance or demand increases go back to four.

I will open the floor for discussion on our future and for anyone who would like to volunteer to take the lead.

Kent
 
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Kent thanks for all you've done for the group and me individually. I'm with you in that I'd hate to see the group die off.

I'm unable to take anything like this on, I love coming to meetings but one or two a year is all I'm likely to make. If anyone takes over and we decide to try two meetings a year maybe we could do a February/August time frame. Those months seem to be the least busy. I'm willing to do a demo when I know I can make it to a meeting although I haven't been turning much that may force me to get in the shop some.
 
Don't take the number of views as an indicator of interest. I'm looking but being on the wrong side of the border etc., leaves me out so can't help even if I wanted to. Hope you find the people you need.
 
Hi Kent: Thank you for your selfless service. I trust you received my PM about a week ago. I was just talking about this with Lee this morning. I don't have a solution.
 
I also don't like the idea of the group disbanding. I am not able to attend all of the meetings but I surely enjoy those that I can attend.
It has been my experience with other organizations that reducing the number of meetings only results in fewer people showing up.
 
Kent,
I wish I had an answer for our chapters dilemma. I have enjoyed the fellowship among men who shared their knowledge and their love of pen turning. I sincerely hope one of our members will step up and volunteer to take your place. Should some one take your place, I will do my best to support them. Thank you for your leadership and should we dissolve, please keep in touch with us.

Ben
 
I can't think of anyone that would want it to dissolve, but if any a few can attend, it is in someway heading in that direction.
 
GA meeting next week

I had met a few of you in the April meeting as well as in some
conversations and meetings over the last several months. Although,
I do not turn pens, I have been on the fringes for the last 17 years
as a customer of one of my former employees who does turn pens
and have purchased about 2,000 larger pens and have given those
as gifts through my business.

I would be willing to help coordinate the meetings if one or two people
would help as well in the planning and arranging for demonstrations
and information exchange. I would hate to see the group dissolve. One
of the goals I would try and achieve would be to add additional value to the meetings.

I live only about 2 miles from the Roswell Woodcraft, so I can work closely
with them in planning and organizing.

Please leave a note back in you would be interested in helping. I would suggest that we move the scheduled meeting next weekend to July or
August (depending on Woodcraft availability) to give time to provide for a good, and worth while agenda.

Thanks,

Lee Carr
 
Thank you Lee. I just love meeting with the guys and gals. Maybe, we should see how many we can expect to attend 1, 2, 3 or 4 meetings a year. If I am not jammed with work, I am usually good for 3.

So that is 1 (me) :). If we can count on some attendance. I would support you; I can't play a lead role.
 
Do you have a meet-up group to advertise the meetings.

Sent from my SM-J327P using Tapatalk
 
How do you advertise your meetings in Ohio? I have some ideas,
but I am not sure much as been done over the years except posting
on this website, word of mouth and a sign at the Wood Craft store.
 
We have a secretary in our Chapter who sends a meeting notice a week before the meeting to inform of the location, demo topic, and demonstrator. We do meet monthly on the first Thur so everyone does know the schedule. We also schedule other activities to keep folks interested. We do local demos for Woodcraft to show appreciation for use of their classroom.

You didn't say if your group is an IAP Chapter. However, maybe you can contact Ed4copies/Ed Brown who is the IAP Local Chapter Coordinator and see if he has any ideas or suggestions to grow your group and maybe move to becoming a Chapter.

Good luck with keeping your club active.
Gordon
 
Clubs

Unfortunately, you are the living proof of the members getting old without any younger members to assume the role of leadership. This happens to woodturning groups, carvers, and pen makers all over the Country. You must 'grow' your club, otherwise you die out.:redface:
 
Prayers to you and your family. Thank you for allowing me to log on every now and then. I've enjoyed every minute and I have learned a lot as I still consider myself a novice. I do hope someone would be able to lead this group on line but I certainly understand if not.


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app
 
nativewooder said:
Unfortunately, you are the living proof of the members getting old without any younger members to assume the role of leadership. This happens to woodturning groups, carvers, and pen makers all over the Country. You must 'grow' your club, otherwise you die out.:redface:
Click to expand...


The same thing is happening to square dance clubs.
 
Lee Carr said:
How do you advertise your meetings in Ohio? I have some ideas,
but I am not sure much as been done over the years except posting
on this website, word of mouth and a sign at the Wood Craft store.
Click to expand...

About 1 1/2 years ago I was able to establish grouped PM notices for Ohio members that had identified they were in Ohio. This was done through the "Member's List" advanced search functions (Blue bar above on this page). I'll walk you through it in the next post.

I can now send 2-3 PM's that have up to 100 IAP members in each message. I believe I have close to 200 members on this list. I they can easily add newer members as they join, and update the PM list about 3-4 times a year. I try to include members that have logged on to IAP within the past 2 years; keep in mind that a great many members do log on, do read the threads, but do not post. In Ohio, this PM announcement system took out attendance from 8-10 regulars, and 4-8 sporadic attendees - to 25-30 regulars at the last 3-4 meetings.
 
Lee Carr said:
How do you advertise your meetings in Ohio?
Click to expand...

This is what I do:

1. Click on "Member's List" (Blue Bar above).

2. Click on "Search Members".

3. Click on "Advanced Search".

4. In "Location" type - Georgia; hit return.

5. Click on "Last Visit."

Now look at the "Last Visit" column, this will tell you when each member last logged onto IAP.

It appears that there are about 218 "Georgia" members. I scrolled back to the bottom of the 2'nd page, and going back to 6/28/2017, there have been about 60 "Georgia" members who logged on.

These 60 members will be a good starting list for bulk PM's.

To update your list in the future, repeat steps 1-4.

Step 5. Click "Join Date".

Step 6. Click "Last" Page (#8 currently). This will then display the most recent members.

NOTE: This is certainly not a perfect "Georgia" members list, as the search functions will only pull the names of members who added a location in their user profile. There will be Georgia Members that will be missed.

Finally, I would also recommend repeating this entire process, but enter large cities as opposed to "the state (i.e., Atlanta vs Georgia). When I entered Atlanta there were 86 names. There will probably be an overlap in the lists.

While this sounds complicated, it actually goes smoothly. Starting the list will be a bit of time on a dull evening, but updating 3-4 times a year goes very quickly.

Let me know if you need any help with this. And I have no problem getting the list started and sending a bulk PM to a Georgia member who wishes to continue this process.

Oh, after the first bulk PM's are sent, I do not reenter a new list every time. I go back to my "Sent" PM list, and use the last one for the next message. I "Reply To All", but erase the last message, and write a new announcement. This is also when I enter new members names.

I hope this is helpful.
 
Since, no announcement to the contrary has been made I would assume the meeting on 6/16/18 is still on for the usual time.
I look forward to seeing everyone that shows up.
Turncrazy43
 
I have to be on 30 minute on call, so my Saturday schedule has changed for this meeting. I will be there and looking forward to seeing any who show up. I go into the Woodcraft store 2 or 3 times a week and know all of the guys who work there. They told me earlier in the week that a woman was in the store with her son who wants to learn how to make pens. The staff told them about the meeting tomorrow and they said they would make every effort to attend.

It surprises me how many people do not even know about IAP, much less the local chapter meetings.
 
Wait there is a meeting tomorrow?! I have the vet in the am and a tree coming down at noon. I would not have scheduled either; I should have read more carefully. I don't know if I will make it. I may be bringing a 17 week old golden retriever and them leave at 11:30am.
 
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I was very disappointed at the turn out for the 6/16/18 meeting. A total for four people showed up and only two of us stayed more than an hour. We even had a young man who came with his father. He had just started turning a few months ago and was hoping to get some information and hints about pen turning. We tried to help him and offered him to contact us for questions and help.

There was no published info on the forum that the meeting had been cancelled. I am very disappointed that the old hand here failed to come to the meeting. This may have been the death knoll of the group. So sad.
Turncrazy43
 
I think all are doing the very best that they can. Maybe, we need more to express an interest in attending a meeting in order to make a case for continuing. With respect to the young turner and his dad, I will PM (Wayne) my number. I would be delighted to have them come by me on an early Saturday morning and teach him/them what I know. I have plenty of kits and wood.
 
Do any of you belong to any other woodturning groups in the Atlanta area? (AAW, etc)
Does the Woodcraft you are using have other groups meeting at their facility?
All the comments seem to indicate you would like to meet, but no one wants to "lead". Maybe the two at the meeting who stayed longer could couple with the "non-turning" person who seems willing to lead (Lee Carr) and plot a course. You have the facility (WoodCraft), which is the hardest part of having meetings. Apart from that, email and "presiding" at the meeting are the only "chores"--MAYBE a couple hours a month!! If the meetings don't merit that much "dedication", they really are NOT very important to you, are they?

Yes, I have talked with Lee and given some suggestions, but the "not I" comments above leave me thinking the group needs "new blood". Mark James, Jeff and I all are prepared to help, just form a viable nucleus!

Thanks,

Ed
Local Chapter Coordinator (one of several hats)
 
Ed,

Thank you for the information. I will reach out with a post to the Georgia
group (probably in a week or two) with the directions that Mark and you provided to see if there are some others that are willing, and able, to help with group meetings and to revitalize the Georgia Group.

I just assumed that since no one indicated that they were going to help with
the meeting on the 15th, that there was not going to be a meeting. I had suggested a meeting in July or August (depending on what Wood Craft had available) that would give us enough time to do some planning for a meeting that would be beneficial and worthwhile to the attendees.

Lee
 
There were four there Saturday, two of which were brand new. Robert (the WC manager) stated that if he did not hear something specific soon he would schedule the room for other purposes. He also said that the room would be available Thursday evenings. That would not work for me.
 
If I understand correctly, the WoodCraft personnel invited a father and son to come to the meeting. If you helped the young man learn about penturning, he would get his supplies from that WoodCraft. While they won't get rich on one new customer, that will also increase your attendance, if the dad and son show up regularly. Meetings at WoodCraft are a symbiotic relationship!! WoodCraft teachers used to attend my demos at our meetings--THEY learned about penturning. Appreciate the free facility, but also realize WoodCraft can benefit as well!!
 
By the way, last week I spent just under $2000 at our Milwaukee WoodCraft. So, it is not all "small change"!! (Laguna bandsaw)
 
turncrazy43 said:
I was very disappointed at the turn out for the 6/16/18 meeting. A total for four people showed up and only two of us stayed more than an hour. We even had a young man who came with his father. He had just started turning a few months ago and was hoping to get some information and hints about pen turning. We tried to help him and offered him to contact us for questions and help.

There was no published info on the forum that the meeting had been cancelled. I am very disappointed that the old hand here failed to come to the meeting. This may have been the death knoll of the group. So sad.
Turncrazy43
Click to expand...

Wayne, Sorry you feel that away. But I though I was clear in the first post of this thread when I said I would no longer be able to head up the group and basically begged someone to take over. I hope to be able to attend future meetings and pray the group survives.
 
One idea is to have at least one lathe available to turn pens at every meeting. This way if there are any newcomers, at the very minimum they would witness pen turning. It doesn't have to be presented as a formal demo - just something that is going on in the background. I have less time to turn pens during the week (and even weekends for that matter). However, I would be delighted to turn a few at the meeting regardless of an audience. Just an idea.
 
Before reading this, PLEASE NOTE (not yelling, just emphasizing) that I am not attempting to usurp any one's position, authority, tenure etc. I am just trying to be responsive to WC/Robert (nor am I looking for a leadership role..I just don't and can't make the time given my familial and charitable commitments.)

Hi Folks. The manager of Woodcraft/Robert has tried to reach-out to some of us to get a read on the future of the group. WC wants to be good to the group, but Saturday mornings are prime spots for them and it is hard for him to justify holding a place for us only to hold a handful of members. I have asked another group member to inform WC that the group is in a state of rebuilding (I'm trying to be optimistic), but we couldn't assign any level of certainty to what the future would look like as we sort things out. Having said that I suggested that WC does what is in their best interest (and I am sure WC/Robert will let us know).

In the meantime, I have reached-out to Rockler who, at least 3 years ago had an interest...not that I want to hurt WC). However, Rockler may be hungry enough to deal with us once a quarter as we rebuild - just a thought.

Lastly, we are all volunteers comprising a very good bunch of people who try to do the right thing for the IAP, the local chapter, and our host (WC). Let's continue to be patient with one another and be appreciative to those that have helped and served us in the past.

I am in favor of giving WC their time back which I think is the business decision they are likely to make anyway. If someone wants to step-up and cultivate a relationship with Robert of WC, please do. Also remember, that I am writing and speaking with no local chapter authority. I am just trying to be responsive to our host who has had some trouble finding folks.

We are friends before we are penturners. :)
 
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Tony, Thanks for your input. I agree with you that perhaps we should forego our IAP meetings at Woodcraft. I speak with no authority other than a lay member. At the present I'm not sure who would officially suspend our meetings. It might be nice if a member could take the reins of leadership long enough to notify Woodcraft of our decision to end our meetings there. Woodcraft has been most gracious to our group, and I think we should treat them fairly by discontinuing our meetings there and allowing them to utilize this prime Saturday time for their benefit.
Ben
 
Ben, I will continue until a decision is made. I stopped by Woodcraft on Tuesday, and spoke with them, and asked to keep our September Meeting. I did not speak to Roy or Robert as they both were off. I have been playing phone tag with them all week. I will try again this morning. Woodcraft has been great to us, but they did make the comment that they had recognized our declining attendance over the past year or so. The also monitor this forum. I asked to keep our next meeting in hope of the group survival.

Tony, Thanks for looking out for the group and reaching out to Rockler. I also appreciate your understanding of not having time and prioritizing your family and work. I too have had to do that, but of course there will be those who criticize rather than stepping up.

As some of our members know, my wife has terminal stage 4 cancer and has not been doing well. Yet disappointment was expressed in my not being at the meeting Saturday. I will continue to do what is best for me and my family and make no excuses for it. Hopefully that can be understood.
 
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I spoke with Roy at Woodcraft. He has agreed to continue working with us for Septembers Meeting. If by early to mid August, we cannot pull something together, I am to notify WC and they will schedule with classes.

Let me throw out another option that may help the group survive and also spread the love so its not one person running the show. If we could do this, it might would allow me to still participate. If we could get 3-5 members to all help, we could do it as follows

President/Leader - Moderate meetings, coordinate with WC etc.
Demo Committee - Schedule & coordinate demos, discussions etc.
Secretary - Meeting notifications, Contest, PITHs
Recruiter - Someone who is on the site frequently who can reach out to new Georgia members with invitations to come - This could actually be all of us

Just an Idea
 
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