The Results Are In (Final Edition)

This is the final installment in the series discussing the results of the BAWA MEMBERSHIP SURVEY. Our survey asked specific questions about starting "Team Construction Projects", "Weekend Classes", "Open Shops", a "Mentor Program", and an "Answer Person" program. Whew! That's a lot of new stuff! Here's what's cookin':

Team Construction Projects:

Half of you who answered our survey said you wanted to expand our Toys-for-Tots workshop series and that you are interested in having more events wherein we build "stuff" in a group effort. So next year we will be doing exactly that. Our popular Toys for Tots workshop series, which is already ably coordinated by Harold Patterson, will continue. But in addition we'll add some Team Construction Projects. As with the Toy-for-Tots workshops, these events will be a good place to socialize with other members, and "make sawdust" for some worthwhile charity, public service agency, etc. But of course we need someone to take this on as a coordinator. Come on, volunteer --- it'll be fun! Call me to discuss how we can set this program up to start in January.

Weekend Classes:

The main mission of our club is education, and a resounding 68% of you said you wanted access to more classes. Classes such as those taught by Yeung Chan, Arnold Champagne or one of our other qualified members, or by a local who's maybe not a BAWA member, but is teaching locally, like Jay van Arsdale. Additionally some members wrote of a concern about finding out what other classes, seminars, and workshops are available for woodworkers in the Bay area (such as those taught at Laney College.) So we need to do two things: First we need an "Education Committee Chair" who can set up these classes or demonstrations. Of course we'll be charging fair market rate for these classes to cover our costs, but we don't have to limit attendance to just our club members. Members of other woodworking clubs could come to as they have occasionally in the past when we've had particularly expensive speakers. Also some capable BAWA members have already told me they are willing to teach if we can get a coordinator to organize weekend seminars, and single event demonstrations or classes for our members. So if you have an interest in doing this, call me! Second the Education Chair can set BAWA up as a clearing house for woodworking education with a resource list for this kind of information; listing all of the classes in woodworking available in the Bay Area. This is exciting, so call me and volunteer!

Open Shops:

Wow, an astounding 28 of you said you'd be interested in these! 13 of you even said you'd be willing to host an "Open Shop" event. So starting next year, we plan to have about 4 such events per year. (That's over 3 years worth of people who said they'd host.) Travel distances are a consideration that affects attendance at these. A suggestion was made that we could make these even more interesting by having a demo by one of our members at each one, such as hand planing, veneering, or whatever you choose. All we need to get started in January is a volunteer who's willing to coordinate these 4. So if you're willing to help out, call me.

Mentor Program:

The list of improvements to BAWA you've suggested continues with this excellent idea. Here's how it would work: a relative newcomer to woodworking would be paired with one of our more experienced member. The newcomer could learn tips, techniques and operations by discussing what he or she wants to do with the mentor, and perhaps even learn by doing some operations in the mentor's shop. This proved to be so popular that 18 people said they'd like to participate --- 7 as mentors! What's more, 9 even said they'd be willing to help run the program, so I need one of these 9 to call me so we can get started in January.

Answer Person:

A whopping 39% of you who answered our survey said you'd volunteer to be an "Answer Person!" Wow, that's great! The Answer Person would be the "go-to guy" for your woodworking questions. These would take place as phone calls, between our monthly meetings. We envision having 1 or 2 people at a time willing to answer calls about woodworking. They would do this for 1 to 4 months and then rotate to 1 or 2 more, so that no one member is overburdened. Now all we need is a volunteer to kick off this program in January! Call me if you would like to coordinate this program for the coming year.

And finally, you gave us many good suggestions for improvements in many other areas of our club. Some of these we've already started to implement. There were also many positive comments about what a great job the Board is doing. BAWA really is a great organization and I think the Board is doing a great job too! We have a very capable group of officers and committee chairs that are running this organization really well and making it fun for all of you, our members.

So thanks to all of you BAWA members who want to see our club grow and get even better, and who therefore took the time to answer our survey. Just wait 'til January when we start instituting the changes I've talked about in these last three columns! But don't wait 'til then, go back right now and peruse the list of jobs that need to be done, and then call me to volunteer. That's how you'll make BAWA even more fun! I can be reached at 209/928-5900 or by email at researchem@msn.com.