 | President's Message for March 2002 |
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Dear Chapter Officers and Members, Preparations for the 2002 Conference are progressing nicely and all the pieces are falling into place. Keep checking the website for updates, and more information will be included in the upcoming issues of The Anvil's Ring and Hammer's Blow. Make your reservations as soon as you can, as spaces are going fast. Registration forms can be found on the ABANA website (http://www.abana.org/downloads/2002_Confregform.pdf) or by contacting Mary Fredell (612) 276-0271 or 2002conf@abana.org. Forms were sent to all chapters in January so someone in your chapter may have additional copies. We have capped attendance, so be sure to register early to keep from being disappointed. The ABANA Bylaw changes have been approved by the Board; the final step in this process is the vote of the membership. The revised bylaws and the ballot (a pre-paid post card) will be inserted in the next issue of The Anvil's Ring for review by the membership and their vote. The Board believes that these changes are for the benefit of ABANA, resolving the uncertainty of the chapter status, bringing the seven chapters involved in the anvil shooting incident back to the ABANA family and ensuring that ABANA has a solid bylaw foundation to help move the organization forward as we continue to serve this most honorable of crafts. Copies of the proposed changes in several different formats can be found on the ABANA website at http://abana.org/business/abana_business.html. On the chapter status, I believe that Dave Allen, the editor of the Appalachian Blacksmiths Association, said it best in the latest issue of the ABA's newsletter. He defined the relationship that the chapters have always had with ABANA as more of an affiliation, with no formal relationship with or oversight of the chapters by the parent organization and no dues of the chapter members supporting the national organization, as opposed to a chapter, which implies dues paid in part to support the parent organization and those chapters controlled in some part by the national organization. This is exactly what the Board, in making these changes, has put into place. And as Dave urges his chapter's members of ABANA, I also urge you to support these changes. Finally, with spring in the air, hammer-ins, workshops, shows and conferences are all in full bloom. Please attend as your schedule allows. And as you can, please help your chapter (and ABANA) with your time and efforts. The success of every organization is measured in the level of active participation of the members. Safe and Productive Forging
Doug Learn
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