[TheForge] Re: Saving ABANA

[Patty Draper/Bill Robertson]

As tired as this whole ABANA stuff has become I think what George Dixon is
doing is worth while because the people who have used and abused their
positions on the ABANA board for personal vendettas and gain are still on
the board.  Only with the ABANA membership learning about the past and
finally voting the like of Jerry Kagele, Dorthy Steigler and Clare Yellin
off the board can ABANA have the opportunity to be the kind of organization
it set out to be.  Wouldn't it be nice to have full disclosure of board
minutes, no more secret executive committees, a complete and full accounting
audit (you may be surprised what your membership dues pay for), fair
bidding, a reflection of the diversity of the blacksmith craftsman in the
Anvils Ring rather than selective showcasing and favors to friends, an
opportunity to voice a rebuttal in the newsletters, (Mr. Kagele has taken
great glee with his use of the Ring to promote his personal agenda at the
expense of those who dare stand in his way), a gallery website that invites
all art from the membership from the proud first heart-hook on up versus the
current gallery that has to first pass through the ABANA art police, and
finally to change the "chapters" back to chapters.  The name change to
"affiliates" was a feeble attempt by the ABANA board to save face after two
years of the anvil-shoot controversy when they "finally" realized and
accepted the fact the Florida chapter made from day one, that ABANA had no
legal connection with, or authoritative control over the chapters.
 And finally wouldn't it be nice if ABANA and the chapters start to work on
building a reciprocal relationship.  I was stunned when I sat and watched
ABANA board members Dave Mudge and Dave Koenig sit quiet as mice during the
meeting at Tannehill AL this fall when the 2005 seven-chapter conference at
Madison GA was being planned and the duties divided up.  Only after all the
tasks and duties were assigned did the two ABANA board members stand up,
address the group and ask for "our" help with "their" conference in
Kentucky.  A complaint from the chapters I have heard for years has been
"what does ABANA do for us".  That demonstration pretty well summed up the
current policy.  Certainly we can do better, and a good start would be to
get Kagele, Steigler and Yellin off the board.  So, if you are a member of
ABANA please exercise your power and vote.    Bill Robertson, President,
Florida Artist Blacksmith Association