Presidents Message - 2017
Happy New Year!
Well, we have come to the end of our first calendar year! Congratulations Waterloo-Wellington Woodturners!
2018 has been a great first year for the Waterloo-Wellington Woodturners Guild. Our membership numbers continue to increase as more people discover woodturning, and then discover us. 37 paid members and growing!
I must begin by thanking all the members of your Executive for their tireless work. Their dedication and spirit is what drives this new Guild forward, and it is indeed a pleasure to be working with such a wonderful group. Special thanks to Johan Van Zyl for getting our website up and running (it looks great!), to Christine Gilhuly for getting our Membership roster organized and recorded, and to Doug Rohrbacher for getting us set up financially.
Thanks to all those who volunteer in various capacities in the Guild, whether selling raffle tickets, taking photos, or doing set-up and take-down. All that makes for a better Guild. Remember this is your Guild. You make it better by getting involved.
A big thank-you goes to Lee Valley and the Waterloo Store for giving us a place to meet, equipment to use, and time in their schedule for us. We wouldn't have got started without you.
2017 saw us witness many excellent instructional demonstrations at club meetings, all done by talented woodturners, both members and guests. Consider stepping forward and doing a demo yourself in the future. You may find it rewarding, and a lot more fun than you expected. A special thanks to Mike Brazeau and the Golden Horseshoe Woodturners Guild, for their support.
As we move into 2018, there is much to look forward to. We have an interesting slate of demos for the Spring, as well as challenges to look forward to.
Our first major guest turner will visit us in 2018. In April, Glenn Lucas will be doing a full day demonstration on the 13th. Glenn is a production woodturner from Ireland, who also runs a successful woodturning school, demonstrates and teaches around the world. He is currently one of the most sought-after teachers and demonstrators anywhere. Look for him online at www.glennlucaswoodturning.com.
Each month we have seen a variety of items on the show-and-tell table, each showcasing the incredible talents of our Guild. It still amazes me how much talent there is in this small group. Keep bringing in your work. Everyone wants to see what you are working on. We learn from seeing each others work.
It has been a privilege to be your President in our inaugural year, and I look forward to a fun and successful 2018.
Keep on turning!
Paul Newton
President
Waterloo-Wellington Woodturners Guild
