[TheForge] Re: Seattle Board Meeting Minutes Posted

[Brian Gilbert]

Everyone:

I hesitate to post to this list, since my meaning is often misunderstood,
but I need to speak up for Dave... he's working VERY hard for the conference
and ABANA. And like it or not, ABANA has helped and continues to help
blacksmiths everywhere, members or not. He deserves our thanks for his
willingness to speak up on this forum.

I was at the board meeting also. Scott Lankton said "ABANA was in the
position where, because of our liability, we had to tell people what to do,
and nobody likes to be told what to do."

When ABANA was formed, the organizational structure of chapters and parent
organization made a lot of sense. It worked well for us at a time when
blacksmithing as a craft was nearly lost. But now, ABANA has grown and the
Chapters have grown to the point where this system isn't as beneficial as it
once was.

That's the intent behind this revision in structure... to move the
organization into a system that's viable and helpful to blacksmiths in the
future. Members of the board have talked to lots of folks about this change,
asking, "What's the downside?" Nearly everyone, when they thought about it,
really couldn't see a downside. The Chapters are, in reality, fairly
independent of ABANA. This change allows them to "move on to the next
level,"so to speak, stop worrying about issues of control and liability, and
get on with the goal. That's Blacksmithing, by the way. ABANA will continue
to provide educational support, resources, publications, and
conferences...things that it does best on the national level. The Chapters
can do what they do best on the local level... education, hammer-ins,
chapter newsletters, etc. This will free up a lot of energy that has been
wasted in arguing and hopefully turn it more productive goals, AND it'll do
it without changing anyone's individual memberships.

So give Dave a rest. Look at the revisions for what they are... a positive
step to move things forward so we can get back to blacksmithing, which is
what everyone wants.

And from the offices of the Hammer's Blow (which in reality is a messy desk
and a fax machine in the corner of our den), I'd like to wish everyone a
merry Christmas, joy to your loved ones, peace and contentment in your
hearts. Thanks so very much for supporting ABANA and the Hammer's Blow.

Best
BG

--
Brian Gilbert
Editor, Hammer's Blow