[TheForge] Re: Seattle Board Meeting Minutes Posted

[Peter Fels and Phoebe Palmer]

At 06:25 AM 12/24/01, you wrote:

I'll second Brian and point out that without the costs  of insurance and 
administration that this arrangement saves...we should be  able to do  more 
stuff that is  of real value to the smithing community. Another possibility 
is reducing dues, which tend to exclude the folks who need support the most.
Funny how grousing has monentum and continues after the problem is solved.
Pete Fels/ ironyworks



>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
>
>
>
>
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