Ideas for meetings for 2015

[DLGunn]

Just throwing this out there.

I was thinking about our meetings/scheduling/etc. How about we try to have the meeting dates set at the first of the year. That way hopefully we could plan better on where, and what we can demo/swap/etc.

One option would be keep it every 3 months. Say, March, June, Sept. and Dec.
Or have 3 meetings only, every 4 months, April then July OR Aug. and then Dec.

If we can get a better idea early in the year, I think people could plan better to be able to be there and increase attendance at the meetings. We could also set a schedule for what we can demo and what type of pen swaps we could have. It would give a chance for the hosts to know when everyone was coming and how to plan accordingly.

Some more random ideas:

• Some of us with smaller mini lathes bring them to set up that way we can do more demos/get more turning in
  
• Do a Secret Santa type gift swap at Dec meeting, maybe set a $15-20 limit and say it can be pen turning related, but it doesn't have to be
  
• Segmented pen swap at one meeting
  
• tool sharpening demo
  
• Everyone pitch in $5 or so at each meeting, buy something nice then do a drawing for at each meeting to win it. Could be nice turning tool, gift card to CSUSA, box of nice pen kits, etc.

Let me know what you think of these ideas and post your own below.



Thanks,
David

 

[SDB777]

Having been to all the meetings(except the first-didn't know about them yet, it was a secret )...your idea 'sounds great'.

BUT....always one of those.

Some folks don't know what their work schedule will be from week-to-week, nevermind four months from today. It doesn't make a difference to me, I'm off three days a week, every week....but I still try to make sure the majority of the Chapter can make it to a meeting.

Scheduling demos is sometime weather dependent... ie: If everyone is 'scheduled' to be at my place in June for a sawmill demo and it is raining/thunderstorm, what happens then?


As with all groups/chapters/what-have-you, there is always going to be a few that can't make it no matter, and there will always be those that can no matter what.
A big issue is during the meeting, nothing about the next meeting is discussed....use to, but for some reason it's one of those 'Oops, we forgot things' after just above everyone has left.





Scott (train running down the track...no one driving) B

 

[BSea]

We really do need to spend some time at each meeting to decide on the next meeting. That should be the what we do 1st instead of last. If we wait till the end, like Scott said, it just doesn't get done.

I'm fine for either 3 or 4 times a year.

 

[SDB777]

We really do need to spend some time at each meeting to decide on the next meeting. That should be the what we do 1st instead of last. If we wait till the end, like Scott said, it just doesn't get done.

I'm fine for either 3 or 4 times a year.

If you think about it, we're usually the one's saying "Ah.....crap, we forgot again!":biggrin:


3 or 4 is a good number, 6 would be too much.
BTW, looks like enough to get you out of cleaning the garage:wink:





Scott (I'd like to see an option for tool sharpening) B

 

[BSea]

We really do need to spend some time at each meeting to decide on the next meeting. That should be the what we do 1st instead of last. If we wait till the end, like Scott said, it just doesn't get done.

I'm fine for either 3 or 4 times a year.

If you think about it, we're usually the one's saying "Ah.....crap, we forgot again!":biggrin:

Yep . . . . . Maybe we should make it a rule that we have to set the meeting before anyone gets to eat. That should do it.

3 or 4 is a good number, 6 would be too much.
BTW, looks like enough to get you out of cleaning the garage:wink:

:good: You noticed that too.

 

[bmwrider1]

Yep . . . . . Maybe we should make it a rule that we have to set the meeting before anyone gets to eat. That should do it.


I like that!

 

[edman2]

When I coordinated the Southwest Missouri chapter we met twice a year, spring and fall. In my opinion that was not enough to maintain interest. That chapter basically died out because of that. I think three is too close to that number. I would be for four as a minimum. If we can't think of a reason to meet at least that much we probably don't have a reason to be meeting at all. Six would not be too many for me knowing that not all could attend every meeting. If you do three and a person has to miss one then they only get two a year. I just don't think we can maintain interest if a person only comes two times in a year. Just my humble opinion.

I agree that we should set next meeting dates at each meeting. Maybe 5 meetings? March, May, July, Sept, Dec. That misses Jan and Feb (too cold), August (too hot), Oct and Nov (too busy...craft shows). Just food for thought.

Freddie

 

[butchf18a]

There should be a meeting scheduled to determine the scheduling of meetings, a meeting that is officially declared as an unofficial meeting so that it won't count against the undecided number of official meetings yet to be scheduled.

 

[BSea]

When I coordinated the Southwest Missouri chapter we met twice a year, spring and fall. In my opinion that was not enough to maintain interest. That chapter basically died out because of that. I think three is too close to that number. I would be for four as a minimum. If we can't think of a reason to meet at least that much we probably don't have a reason to be meeting at all. Six would not be too many for me knowing that not all could attend every meeting. If you do three and a person has to miss one then they only get two a year. I just don't think we can maintain interest if a person only comes two times in a year. Just my humble opinion.

I agree that we should set next meeting dates at each meeting. Maybe 5 meetings? March, May, July, Sept, Dec. That misses Jan and Feb (too cold), August (too hot), Oct and Nov (too busy...craft shows). Just food for thought.

Freddie

We tried meeting every 2 months. I think we did that twice before we gave up on it. It was just too much to organize. As soon as one was done, we had to start getting ready for the next meeting. It's nice to have a bit of a break between meetings. I do see your point though in only having 3 meetings. If someone had to miss a meeting, then it's 8 months between meeting for them.

 

[Dustygoose]

As of now, I am on a 14/7 schedule. So I have either 1 or 2 weeks a month that I am home. I like the 4 meetings and am up for 5 per year. But majority wins on the days of the meeting. As far as mini lathe, I have one but not VS.

 

[SDB777]

There is always going to be 'someone(s)' that can't make a date....just took a look through some of the other "chapters", and it is the same with those groups as well. One group that is made from 6 different states can't get enough people to even post one way or the other! Compared to them, we are over achievers!!!

Once a quarter is good, there is always those "shhh-no-one-knows-but-here-is-a-special-get-together-for-kitless-turning", meetings that sometime spring up.

If someone wants to cut a log of theirs and happens to know a few others would enjoy it too, by all means...give me a call and plan something for a group! If someone wants to give a lesson about turning HF bowls, give me a call...I'll find time!



Scott (vacation is next year though) B

 

[pds7526]

I believe that four meetings a year is about right, once a quarter should keep people that are interested in our craft interested, willing and able to schedule an attendance. I look forward to the meetings as for me it always brings something new and exciting. You got my vote once a quarter would be "nice".