Villages Woodworker’s Club Meeting

Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

7 p.m. Laurel Manor

Charlie Shark called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. The membership said the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

Charlie welcomed all members and visitors.

Invited Guest re Toy Program - Jacqueline Leshure (sp?)– Gave insight on the benefits of our toys to her programs. They work with families, moms exposed to violence etc. during pregnancy or at the newborn stage. Families stay in the program until the child is 5 years of age. They educate and evaluate the child’s needs. The program is delivered under Healthy Families of Florida (which is under the umbrella of the Children’s Home Society) and has a member in every county. Jacqueline is also involved with Children’s Home Society for Lake, Marion & Sumter counties, which started as an orphanage and has grown from there. The Mid Florida division is comprised of 16 counties, and our toys are used throughout the division. When the VWC makes toys and gives them, we are giving to children who may have never received a toy before. She has the honor to present them the toys. She takes great pride in it, and it is one of the centers of the conversation. She has worked with well-to-do and modest families, and all are very honored to receive the toys. They come into homes of families that have split. The children are emotional and overwhelmed to get the toys. She also shows our toys to all the groups she lectures and also shares them with the visitation group where children who have been taken away are watched temporarily, then bounced from foster home to home while trying to bring family together. The children see our toys, squeeze them, etc. When it is time to go, they leave the toy thinking they have to, and are very happy to learn they can take the toy with them. When they see the child next time, they bring their toy with them. They are beautiful, durable and very special toys that we are producing. Jackie loves doing it on behalf of the VWC Toy Program. She cannot tell us any better how much it is appreciated: it is so exciting! The new toys we are producing that are educational and developmental have been very successful and they use them to help evaluate the children’s development. She is excited about the new prototype of a shoe to help a child learn how to tie their shoes.

Question: How many children are you involved with? 395 families (395 children not counting the siblings.)

Question: My experience in past involved more girls than boys...is that your case? It is mostly pretty even in our program, but in other programs that is often the case.

Question: Boys easy, what else can we do for girls? Pull toys real popular, puzzles (esp. hand puzzles), and girl puzzle/boy puzzle.

Question: Over 16 counties how many kids are involved? Couldn’t guess. Very many. Each Visitation Center sees 5-10 families per day.

Question: What is the success rate of putting kids back into mainstream? In my program, very successful as we provide services to teach moms even before babies are born. We check on the mom’s history prior, and follow up and measure after. Lake County 100% no abuse after, Marion 99% no abuse after graduation.

Request: Could you comment on the uniqueness of receiving our toys as we discussed earlier? Very honored to receive such special toys. Toys originally used for Healthy Families in the area, have now expanded to deliver all through mid Florida. People want to buy them as they have become more exposed. We get lots of that kind of feedback. Very honored to receive.

Question: In past when we gave ‘x’ amount of toys, the state applies that as fundraising so helps increase funding received from the government. Is that still the case? Correct, we have to match funding received from Government. Healthy Families provide a donation slip to VWC, and that helps expand the funding received from the State.

Presidents Report

As of yesterday afternoon, we had 697 paid members for 2008. We have had 60 new members during 2008, and 59 members were trained. We are a little behind the last few years as less housing sales. We have Monitor, Greeter or Tool Crib sign up sheets at the back. Tool Crib is especially important. We need someone for 4 – 8 hours per week to supervise, and Tool Crib Monitors who are familiar with tools and can assist. Also require assistance with Safety. Membership dues can be paid at back table. Greeters are presently signed up until Dec 22^nd. We could also use additional Office Staff to help fill in, particularly over the summer.

Certification/Training – Paul Greene – Nothing to report.

Safety - Jerry Dederich – (by Charlie) Safe year-to date. Keep up the good work. Remember not to get careless and stay alert.

Office Administration – Murry Bishop - (by Charlie) We are putting in new accounting program. The Storage building is progressing, but at a snails pace. It will take 1-30 days to receive approval.

Question: Will we have asphalt for expanded parking? Advised not to do it as it may create a retention pond problem, or may restrict future building expansion. This weekend, we will redo golf cart path, with surface asphalt compound. The Storage building will be air controlled. However, remember it is still a 30-day storage—not for permanent storage.

Financial – Bill Sadler - (by Charlie) - Last looked, approx. $50,000 in the bank with much plans to spend. We are setting up a fund for future unforeseen situations.

Shop Administration – Dave Adamovich - (by Charlie) - Please clean up after yourself. Monitors are having to do way too much of it. Murry, on behalf of Dave, said that there are many people in the shop who are forgetting we are working with other people. We have had a rash of things where people have taken a tool and muscled through and caused problems for other people to use. This creates stress on the machine, which inconveniences all of us. Recently, a cut was being made where wood would have flown across the shop. You cannot do such things in a shop full of people. Ask, if you are unsure of anything. We have120-130 people through the shop per day during the winter, but only an average of 80 people/day in the summer. We can’t afford down time caused by misuse when the shop is so busy. If unsure, someone will gladly help.

Special Projects – John Justice/Roy Lincicome - 102 requests in February, 29 in March,

50 currently open. Roy & John recognized lots of good people helping: Paul Greene, Charlie Campney, Max Bohnstedt, Scottie, John Massey, Bob Thompson, Bill Murray, Larry Perry, and Herb Faust. Please help if you can.

Education - Chuck Heise – We have spent much time trying to figure how to get more people involved. Education and certification are two different programs, but 2-5% of our members generally do 95% of the work. We want to provide help and tools to expand the people who can assist. We would like to have you help, as your skills are valuable. With 300 days per year it requires 7,000 man-hours to keep the doors open. Based on the number of people in club, we estimate 8,364 volunteer hours available so 1,364 hours can be used other places. Volunteer hours can be applied when you assist with the Instructor program. We would like to start with basic classes, starting with basic table saw operation and extend it through the rest of the tools; going through all equipment, which should help reduce damages to equipment. Currently we are only set up for project type classes, and now see the need for individual classes on machinery. We will map out what we want you to teach, and ask for one night for this, starting September. We need people to teach these classes; it can’t be from existing pool. Many people have real skills in machines, but unsure about teaching. If you are one, shadow people currently teaching to see how it goes and get a feeling for it.

We have posted all classes until the end of May. We are trying to set up classes for 2-3 months ahead for you to sign up for. Hopefully next year we’ll set September through Christmas, then the January through May right after Christmas. We have formed a committee, and want to recognize their efforts: Tom Kitto, Keith Hudson, Dave Keogh, and Mary. Also recognized existing certification instructors by applause. Our Turning and now carving classes are filling quickly. Also recognized Jack Tagye’s contributions in running Certifications.

Toys – Bob Thompson - Hope you enjoyed the program. We have our first load of 800 toys for delivery this year, a little ahead of last year to reach our 3500-4000. We are moving more into educational toys. We have come up with a shoe to assist learning to tie shoelaces, which is catching on. Joked about making wooden suspenders next.

Woodturners Group – Herb Faust - It has been relatively quiet. We have our Turners’ Meeting next Tuesday at 7 pm. Brenda Clake will demonstrate Enhancements to pieces. There will be a meeting after to critique the demonstration.

Woodcarvers - (by Charlie) - There were approximately 30 people in today doing carving. The masters meet in afternoons. Visitors are overwhelmed when they come in. Activity is increasing all the time in the carving room.

Break at 7:42 pm until 7:52 pm.

Show & Tell (pictures posted on the Web site)

Ron Gammon – 3 Platters – Getting ready to do a show of 15 platters. Start running out of ideas. Grooves done with spiraling tool that cuts into wood while lathe is also turning. Last one looks like a 49 Plymouth hubcap after done. Lots of action in pieces, the wood is from Lake Superior, Flaming Birch 500-600 years old. Sending $40 per platter to the group supply the Flaming Birch.

Wayne Hendricks – Horses & Eagle Carving. Made horses for a gambling horse race thing. Was going to do a carousel horse, but decided it would only be used once/twice per year. Made templates, braiding obtained from a notion store, they have a removable screw for packing. Eagle head is one from our cane projects will be mounted and sent on a cane in next few days. We recently completed our last cane request that we are aware of; it is a good sign if no requests.

Clark Jonathas – Intarsia. Goal is to make 12, all different, by end of year. This is number 2. Figured he can put two pieces and cut two at once. Finished with Satin 15 and applied with a Bull’s-eye brush that gives a great finish.

Note: Wood orders placed before Friday at 10 am, should arrive sometime the following Monday. We have found another lumberyard in Tampa that we may also use.

Our Rocking Horse was won by Carolyn Willette who was called and picked it up today. Bill Sadler has the figures on funds raised.

50/50: The 50/50 raffle brought in $ 58 for club. There were 2 drawings of $ 15 each and 2 drawings of $ 14 each.

Note: Tool Show. Interest was not close to a busload, but will contact those who signed up regarding carpooling. It is towards the end of month; call shop if you are interested.

Next weekend in Tavares is a Wood Carving Show, Saturday & Sunday, all day long. It is at the Shrine Club, and many of our Carvers will be attending and have items entered.

Members & Guests in Attendance: 63

Meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.

B. Clake for Heather Sawyer, Secretary