[crw-talk] Civic engagement

[Bob Raasch]

John and CRW membership,

A very compelling and concise note to club from John. Thank you John.  

To consider.  As we participate in these events, whoever is the ring leader, please consider writing a short article showcasing the club’s involvement and submitting to the AAW Journal in care of Joshua Friend, editor at woodturner.org <mailto:editor at woodturner.org>   Many clubs write up their involvement; you can read about many of these in the Journal, usually in the Woodturners Chatter section. It’s way to toot our horn.

 

One of my “favorite” phases also. In a previous life, I was community civic engagement coordinator for a local college. One can do direct engagement to help those non profits, such as Ringing the Salvation Army Bell, bar tending at local festivals, delivering mobile meals to name a few. 
Or club members could donate wood turned items to be used in fundraising auctions for such non-profit organizations as the Gundersen Medical Center, The Cancer Center’s  Paula’s Purse for their annual auction.  Would the club consider putting together a collective “basket of turned or other wood objects”  for Paula’s Purse Benefit silent auction or raffle? 
I’m sure there are many other non-profit organizations that do similar things.

 

Here is partial list of LOCAL non-profits that may have annual auctions in which we can submit turned items;  its a place to start.

*	NASA–North American Squirrel  Association,  Recreational Therapy | Special Needs | Disabilities | NASA Squirrel <https://www.nasasquirrel.org/> . Wood turned items for their annual fundraiser banquet/auction.
*	New Horizons, shelter and  outreach centers, Home - New Horizons (nhagainstabuse.org) <http://www.nhagainstabuse.org/> , donate wood turned items for their annual auction, and/or make TShirt stands for their annual fall clothesline project.
*	Coulee Council on Additions, Coulee Recovery Center <https://www.couleerecovery.org/> , Spring Auction?
*	Onalaska Education Foundation, Inc. onalaskafoundation.org, <https://onalaskafoundation.org/>  make items to fill a “basket” of wood turned items, auction held in February.
*	Habitat for Humanity, Habitat for Humanity <https://www.habitat.org/> , place a 2x4 build board to be present at our club meetings, throw in a buck or more!

I’m sure there are many more organizations.

 

In short, start making items you’d be willing to donate, pack them away on shelf, then when the time comes you’ll have a ready supply to donate. Bowls, platters, ice scream scoops, salt and pepper grinders, nice pens, seam rippers, candle sticks, weed pots, yarn bowls, etc., are always nice basket stuffers.                    Sincerely,  Bob Raasch 



From: crw-talk <crw-talk-bounces at crwoodturner.com> On Behalf Of John & Donna Griffiths
Sent: Saturday, October 23, 2021 11:08 AM
To: Membership mailing list for the AAW Chapter Coulee Region Woodturners. <crw-talk at crwoodturner.com>
Subject: [crw-talk] Civic engagement

 

Members, I get to throw around a big phrase, "civic engagement" today.  Basically, that means doing what we have done long before I ever heard of CRW, but now that we are reforming ourselves for a post pandemic world, it is time to get that part of the program restarted.  We decided at the meeting last Saturday to get ourselves back in stride.

 

In the past we have made our presence in the community known in many ways, with the Empty Bowls at Holmen HS, the art fairs and events at Norskedalen,  Luther HS, the list goes on.

 

The Art Fairs and events like that are somewhat out of our control, we go when invited.  So if we hear of them, we should try to make them.  Please let board members know if there is an event you hear of that we could attend.  We will need club volunteers to make these possible, not only the fun part of demonstrating and talking incessantly about woodturning; but also the grunt work of hauling lathes and the like.  (I want to add a shout out to Jim Frank, Duane Hill, John Phillips, Dan Check and others for handling the leadership in the past.

 

And like I said above, if you hear of something coming up, let the board know.

 

James has taken the youth and school involvement bull by the horns with good success.  Please help at the upcoming events.  We are trying to build on this as well so if you hear of something...you know the drill.

 

We might take on a Freedom Pens project.  That involves making Slimline pens for the Military, always a noble cause.  The AAW magazine mentions Beads of Courage boxes but I don't know if any of our local medical centers are involved.  If you know something along thee lines or have a lead to pursue, let the club leadership know.

 

We may join in some volunteer activities where some warm bodies are needed, if we do something as a club event we could wear our CRW apparel while volunteering.

 

Kris coordinated a number of donations to the New Horizons program last winter.  If New Horizons approaches up again, please be ready with a bowl or something.  Likewise with the Squirrel Club and other civic groups.

 

Many of you are more acquainted with things happening in La Crosse then I am way up nort' here so please bring ideas up and lets try to get our civic engagement hats back on. 

 

Thank you to the members past and present who have stepped up in so many ways, John

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