The May–July 2024 Southern Piedmont Woodturners newsletter provides a consolidated report of club business, officer elections, and meeting highlights.
Club Business and Elections
Elections were held at the July meeting per club bylaws, which call for staggered two-year terms for four officers and four at-large directors. This year, Vice President Ric Erkes and Treasurer Cindy Boehrns concluded their terms, while at-large directors Vince Keipper and Mike Martens were up for re-election. Cindy and Ric declined to continue, but Vince and Mike agreed to serve another term. With a quorum present, President Phil Goodman led the election. Gina Brown volunteered for Treasurer, and with no volunteers for Vice President, the membership elected Gina, Vince, and Mike by unanimous vote of acclamation.
Phil announced his intention to step down as President after his term ends in 2025, meaning a successor will be needed. The Vice President role remains open, with responsibilities including running meetings in the President’s absence and coordinating demonstrations for ten months each year. The club is also seeking a photographer and mentors for open turning sessions.
Additional business included reminders about 2024 dues ($55), raffle donations, and the “Tops for Kids” challenge, where members are asked to make at least three spinning tops monthly. One jar of tops is full and a second nearly so, with three needed annually.
Volunteers and A/V Operations
Debra Joyce has been managing A/V and Zoom operations—thanks were extended to her and the mentors assisting members. More volunteers are needed for backup A/V support.
Upcoming Events
- Holiday Market (Dec 7, 2024) at ClearWater Art Center will feature food trucks and artisan sales, offering club exposure and sales opportunities.
- Cabarrus County Fair (Sept 6–14, 2024): SPW’s largest fundraiser. Volunteers are needed for setup, teardown, demonstrations, sales, and raffle tables, along with products to sell and donate.
Demonstrations
- May: “Coring Can Be the Answer” by Tim Tucker, demonstrating bowl coring with a Oneway system and explaining wood thickness ratios for drying.
- June: A remote demonstration,“Turning and Repairing a Traditional Hawaiian Calabash Bowl” by Emiliano Achaval of Maui, showing traditional Koa wood turning and decorative repairs using bowtie “pewa” inserts.
- July: Ric Erkes presented “Tenons—Techniques for Sizing These Rascals,” covering seven methods for precisely fitting tenons using tools like calipers, Forstner bits, sizing rings, and modified wrenches.
Overall, the club remains active and productive, emphasizing volunteer engagement, skill sharing, and community participation.
