My Belief

I still remember the smell of smoke drifting across the grassy plain overlooking the Fox River in De Pere Wisconsin-my first ABANA conference. Everything was so new. So exciting. A new world of skills and friendships was opening up to me.

I sometimes wonder how many of us today would be enjoying the fruits of blacksmithing if it were not for ABANA's role in rejuvenating interest in ironwork and spreading the almost lost skills of blacksmithing.

When I think of what ABANA has done for me, I think not so much of the obvious and concrete, (publications and the like) but the intangible. If it had not been for this renewed interest in blacksmithing and the relearning of the skills, the blacksmithing networks that I enjoy may have never been born. My home chapter, The Guild of Metalsmiths, grew out of an ABANA conference in Carbondale, Illinois.

ABANA is part of the thrust in creating continent wide blacksmithing relationships for you and me.

Does all this sound a bit mushy and sentimental, probably. Does it apply to most all of us, I believe so. This is my response to "what does ABANA do for me."

Now For The Concrete

By about the first of June 2001 two events will take place.

¨ The results of the survey of chapter editors will be distributed to the editors. ¨ Chapter presidents will receive a preliminary write-up of a new program that we believe can be useful to all chapters. It will be a way for chapters to exchange information on those activities that they believe are working especially well. We want to check out with the chapter presidents if we are on the right track.

Here is what you can do. Ask your president about this preliminary write-up. Give your input to the proposal. Ask your president to forward your ideas along with his/hers response to the Member Services Committee.

And remember, always think safety.

Looking for your feed back

Bob Fredell, Chairman
Member Services Committee
3500-45 Ave. So.
Minneapolis, MN 55406-2297
(612) 721-2289
fredell@frostbit.com