May 2020
Hello fellow woodworkers,
We hope you and your families are all well and safe. Group activities continue to be cancelled. We hope we can restart our schedule of lumber runs, field trips, meetings and special gatherings soon.
There is a LOT of information in this newsletter. We hope you read it through . . . all 11 items! . . . quiz and prizes at end.
First off, IF you want to share something with the group, here is how:
1. PLEASE JOIN THE PRIVATE ST. JAMES WOODWORKERS FACEBOOK GROUP
From your Facebook account search for our group, or use the link below. This is a closed group and all postings are private to this group. Administrators will quickly approve your request to join. www.facebook.com/groups/stjameswoodworkers.
We currently have 11 of our 51 members in this group.
This is the place to ask questions, share pictures, offer help, share what’s on your mind, sell things, help wanted notices, spread the word to club members when time is urgent, etc.
2. SEND IN ITEMS FOR NEWSLETTER
Send items for the entire group to go out in the next scheduled newsletter or email blast to Gary Mlynek, (garymlynek@gmail.com). Our goal is to have one newsletter every two months with occasional notices/announcements sent as needed in between. Activity will pick up when we can meet again.
3. SEND ARTICLES FOR WEBSITE POSTING
If you wish to have a project or local woodworking resource publicly visible on the group website and more long-lasting, submit it to the webmaster (fredcwalters@gmail.com). It will be used as an article on the website or in a future newsletter.
4. NEEDLESS TO SAY . . .
DO NOT bulk-email this group’s membership. We have made member emails visible to other club members in our online directory to facilitate individuals connecting. Joining this group does not entitle someone to send uninvited emails to the entire group. Likewise, please do not CC ALL if someone ignores this rule. One recent bulk-email with just two responders going back and forth generated more than 500 emails to the group. Spamming is discouraged, no matter how well-intentioned. Again, if you have something to share, please send it in and/or share on Facebook.
5. SUMMER OF SAWDUST
We encourage members to stay in touch this summer by helping one another, sharing project information via Facebook or sending in for the website or newsletter (please don’t spam the member list), and connecting in person as can be done safely.
6. WEBSITE, AND “COVID EXTRAS”
There are new articles from members posted on the website. Check out what fellow members have been doing to fight the Covid blues and the great reads some members have sent in.
Scrapbook of recent member projects (don’t miss checking this out!) — https://stjameswoodworkers.org/early-2020-member-projects/
Free June/July issue of Woodcraft Magazine — https://woodcraft.dcatalog.com/v/June-July-Issue-2020/
Highland Woodworking’s online magazine features several articles on shop layout, an ongoing project for many members — https://woodnewsonline.com/
A fellow member shares how he made plantation shutters for his home on our group website — https://stjameswoodworkers.org/making-plantation-shutters/
https://stjameswoodworkers.org
7. MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
Since our last newsletter we have added one new member and we now have 51 woodworker members. Please welcome Chris Contney, who lives on Shady Pine Circle. His contact information is in the online directory.
8. TREASURER’S REPORT
Operating funds available as of May 15, 2020: $1,300.00
To date, meeting expenses (food, office supplies, raffle prizes), domain registration fees, and web hosting fees have been donated by members resulting in expenses of $0.00. We anticipate having future expenses associated with the club picnic (now rescheduled for fall), community service projects, and meeting and field trip expenses (once meeting and travel can resume).
9. DIVIDE AND CONQUER
St. James Woodworkers was only a few months old when the Covid-19 virus put things on hold. We will be naming individuals to be responsible for a narrow, finite part of running the group. The goal is to keep the workload on any single person (and all the committee members they can gather!) reasonable. Please consider for the following open positions.
Current roles are defined as … (if you would like to help please speak up!)
President/Membership – Gary Mlynek (new member welcome, maintain member skill/interest database)
Secretary/Communications – Fred Walters (newsletters, website)
Treasurer/Community Service Projects – Wayne Kruger
Mentor Program – David Campbell
Unfilled roles are . . .
Social – _______________ – Provide refreshments at 8 to 9 meetings and annual picnic coordination (one lead and volunteers).
Meeting Presenters/Outside Speakers – _____________________ – Recruit and schedule 3 to 6 presenters/speakers a year (one lead and volunteers).
Field Trips – ___________________________ – Plan and coordinate field trips (suppliers, vendors, trade shows, etc.) and announce (one lead and volunteers).
Workshop Open Houses – ________________________ – Schedule and announce open shops (one lead).
SIG (Special Interest Groups) – _____________________ – Determine group interest, connect interested members, and coordinate SIG meetings locations outside of normal club meetings and announce them (one lead and volunteers).
10.COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT
John Boughton and helpers have kept this project moving despite Covid, and have received approval on the prototype memorial flag display case from the American Legion, though production is delayed due to Covid. We’ll keep you posted. If you would like to know more about this community service project, please contact John at jorobo55@gmail.com.
11. UPDATED DIRECTORY IN THE WORKS
We are working on producing a more robust, easy-to-use member directory than what is currently on the website. It will include the information included on the form when you joined the group (interests, years, experience, etc.). It is our hope that an improved directory will help members connect when interests align and to contact each other individually.
Gary Mlynek will be reviewing all application forms and contacting members to obtain missing information and/or additional information on:
- Areas of expertise (projects, processes, methods and tools)
- Skill levels
- What members want and future direction of St. James Woodworkers
- Feedback
Any information pertinent to various leads will be forwarded to the appropriate people.
And now, the quiz and prizes . . . sorry, a bad joke. Thanks for reading!
Be well, stay safe and above all make some sawdust!
— newsletter contributions by Gary Mlynek, John Boughton, Wayne Kruger, Fred Walters and David Campbell