A busy summer comes to an end, and an equally busy fall begins. There are many local and regional blacksmithing venues planned across the country, with good demonstrators and blacksmithing fellowship. My must-attend event will be the Pennsylvania Artist-Blacksmiths Association event featuring Peter Ross on October 7th (sandwiched into a Boy Scout camping weekend). The latest edition of The Anvil's Ring has a great listing of events, as does the events calendar on the ABANA web site. Check into one or two events in your area and have fun attending.

There are fall festivals where chapters are demonstrating to the public. These events are great opportunities to spread the word to the general public that blacksmithing is alive and growing. If you are attending such a festival, introduce yourself to the demonstrators. You may end up joining another chapter and making another friend or two in the blacksmithing community. Bert Smith, Editor of the "Hot Iron Sparkle" asked that this message be passed along. There was a missing graphic on page 15 of the last issue of the "Sparkle". It was a picture of Bartolucci to balance the picture of Bob Patrick on Page 14. If you would like to use those two pages and would like Bert to send you the missing graphic, contact him via e-mail: omnismith@compuserve.com, or write, 821 Meade Drive,Greensboro, NC 27410. This letter is a fast way to communicate such items to the membership. Please send such items to me and if I can do it they will be included in the next letter.

One of the spontaneous moments at Flagstaff was the posters that attendees signed for Bill Gichner. Many members know Bill, an early and continuous supporter of ABANA and blacksmithing, not only from his tool sales, but his conference sponsorship at his shop and his quiet behind the scenes support. We were all disappointed that he was not at Flagstaff, and thought it appropriate that our appreciation be shown. The Arizona group donated two conference posters that were placed in front of the dining hall during the conference and many attendees signed them. ABANA Board member Jack Andrews delivered the posters to Bill at his Ocean View, Delaware shop on September 6th (coincidentally Bill's birthday). Bill was deeply touched by the expression of respect and honor, and passes his sincere appreciation to his friends who took the time to miss him and to say so. A picture of the presentation to Bill is posted on the ABANA web site http:www.abana.org/about_abana.html.

The final books for the conference are close to being closed, and the figures look very good. Not only was the conference an educational and social success, the financial picture is very bright. Once the books are closed the information will be posted on the web site and announced here. The fall ABANA Board Meeting is slated for November 16-18 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. There will be more information on the exact location and the agenda in the next letter.

Will Hightower, ABANA Treasurer, has re-organized some of the ABANA checking accounts into interest-bearing accounts and made some other changes in the account structure to make better use of ABANA's resources. His efforts to better control and use the contents of all ABANA accounts is on-going. This is one example of the quiet, behind the scenes yet critical efforts that is necessary to make the mechanics of the ABANA organization work.

The Central Office received over 1,385 ballots, including a good number from our overseas members. The following ABANA members were elected to the Board of Directors for a three-year term; Dorothy Stiegler, Scott Lankton, Dan Nauman, Bob Fredell and Jerry Kagele. Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all those that ran for positions. Also thank you to all the members who voted, your participation in the process is appreciated.

One of the least-used aspects of the ABANA Scholarship program is the support for chapter demonstrators. There is up to $400 available for supporting a demonstrator at a chapter event. The Central Office has the scholarship forms. Follow the directions and fill the application out correctly and completely. Additionally, the present ABANA Scholarship application is in review and will be updated at the November Board meeting. The results of that update will be announced in the December liaison letter. Until the end of the year the present application will be official. Speaking of scholarships, check out Kate Dinneen's article in the latest issue of The Anvil's Ring, (Summer 2000, page 37). Kate was awarded a scholarship for her trip to Israel, and she more than fulfilled her commitment to ABANA with this wonderful article describing her experiences. Thanks Kate, you did a great job and I am glad that I got to know you during that that fun-filled smoky class with you back in 1997. We all would like to see more articles in The Anvil's Ring from scholarship winners.

I broke my folding knife a couple weeks ago and returned it for repair to its creator Don Hanson, River Bluff Forge Council member and ABANA member. Upon it's return Don included a copy of Knife World that featured his work. This article prompted me to review the showcase in the past several issues of The Anvil's Ring and several contemporary smithing books that feature knives. The design and craftsmanship in the knife world exhibited in these examples shows how far Damascus pattern development and application has come, both in the steel itself and its incorporation into a knife. This is truly an art form and one that I will be paying more attention to in the future.

The changes that ABANA is currently experiencing can lead to some questions amongst the membership. Questions regarding ABANA policy and other ABANA issues are best addressed to the Board, ABANA President Bill Fiorini or myself as Chapter Liaison if you do not know who best can answer your question. The Board is your working tool for the organization and only wants what is best for the entire membership; please contact the Board when you wish to bring up an issue for the betterment of the membership and organization. There is no hidden agenda, no ulterior motive, no shadow meaning behind any of the actions of the Board; what you see is what you get. The Board meetings are open to all, as dictated by Robert's Rules of Order; come see for yourself what goes on. Difficult decisions are made after sometimes contentious discussions, but in the end the decision is made and ABANA policy is set. Our responsibility as members of the Board is to professionally address matters of substance brought before the Board and then uphold the ABANA by-laws and policies that have been set. There are often times when individual desires must be subservient to the differing needs of the entire organization, but we are charged to hold the entire organizations best interests in trust, for now and the future. This has never been an easy task, and will not be in the future. We beg your patience, understanding and overall support, even if you disagree with some of the policies. Thanks.

The weather is cooler, vacations are over, the children are back in school. Consider approaching your local school for an introduction to blacksmithing presentation to your child's or grandchild's class. Gone are the days that blacksmithing is a part of metal shop. Indeed, sadly metal shop is now a thing of the past in most secondary schools. As part of our education responsibilities, perhaps it is time for the ABANA chapters to ensure that all our children know an anvil as more than something that is dropped on the coyote or sits in a flower bed (two in my general area alone). At your public demonstrations, keep an eye out for that one child who never leaves. Pay attention to them, answer their questions, give them your demonstration piece, and ask them to come back again. Talk to their parents and make a good impression on the entire family. That child may join your chapter and ABANA someday. We need them to, for the sake of the craft.

A quick thanks to the Upper Midwest Blacksmiths Association for their show of support for ABANA, I have included their letter as an extra mailer with this letter.

Safe and productive forging.
*dbl*
Doug Learn
Chapter Liaison