Well, they tell me that this message I'm writing is for the Spring issue. From where I am, you couldn't prove it by me, but hopefully, Spring is on the way. Don't get me wrong, I like winter just fine, but I am ready to keep the shop doors open for a while. And I am ready to get out to some conferences and see old friends and make some new ones as well as see some great blacksmithing. Time to start making plans to attend local and regional gatherings of our smithing cohorts. Spending a weekend in the company of other folks getting fired up about hot metal always leaves me with new ideas and new energy, new ways to see the problems we all face in our work at the forge. Did you know that the ABANA web site, www.abana.org, has a calendar with listings of blacksmithing classes and events all over the country? Check it out. You can find it under the "Resources" tab at the top of the home page. Take a look. Make a plan. Get out and see some blacksmithing and make some friends. While you're there checking out the events calendar, take a look around the site. There is a lot of new information for smiths of every level. No password required – we don't even need to know your mother's maiden name. It is there for you, so take advantage of it, and if you know of something that you'd like to see there, drop us a note. We're adding and improving every day.
Wherever you find your information, if you are reading this, then chances are you're an ABANA member, and that means you are ready to run for election to the ABANA Board. That's right, it is Spring, and that means it is almost election time again. The next issue of The Anvil's Ring will include the voting ballots for the 2009 ABANA Board of Directors, and your name could be there! So another thing you can take care of while you are out at the conferences of your choice would be to get the signatures of ten other ABANA members on a piece of paper to qualify your candidacy. Not interested? How about suggesting someone else run, while you are having that conversation about everything you wish ABANA would be. I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is our organization, everyone has a vote, and everyone has the same chance to help guide ABANA into the future. Chances are, you have skills the ABANA board can use.
What sort of skills do we need? There are many ways to serve. Interest and willingness to do a little work for your fellow smiths is plenty, but we are also 15 people serving an organization of almost 5,000 members, and we have all the needs of any organization that size. We need people with publication, graphic arts or editing knowledge. We need people with leadership and management experience. We need people who can coordinate projects. We need people who know finances and budgets. We need people who understand data management, computers and the Internet. We need people who know sales and who know administration. We need connections to related fields. But most of all, we need people who care enough to share in the work of leading ABANA. We need people who will pick up the phone and make a few calls for ABANA. We need people who will get out and listen to members. And it doesn't take that much. Being an ABANA board member is one of those volunteering jobs that will take as much time as you care to give, but if you can spend a few hours a week with e-mails, and participate in the committee work that is always going on, you have enough to give.
Every year, five of our fifteen slots on the Board are up for election. It is no secret that we didn't have an election last year, because there were only two candidates for the five slots. Now seriously, how pitiful is that? My inbox and phone bill tell me that there are a lot more than two members who want to take a stab at guiding ABANA. Time to step up. If you have the interest, Internet access and can use e-mail, (that's how we conduct most of our business throughout the year) the only other thing you need is votes. We already know that there are going to be some big shoes to fill this year.
Of the five seats that will be up for election, at least two, Maegan Crowley and Eric Ryser, will not be running again; and there may be others. Maegan has chaired the communications division for years and puts a tremendous amount of work into the magazines. Eric has been the secretary, managing the ABANA Central Office through transition and keeping track of our board business. These two retiring members alone will leave plenty of space for new members to find their contributions, but there is always plenty of work to do. And there will be five members whom we will have the opportunity to choose to do it. Having an opinion is reason enough to vote. What I really hope is that from our membership will come a group of candidates that will represent the diversity of ABANA, bring the skills ABANA needs, and make each of us hopeful as we vote, but only you can make that happen. Board members, yes, and that's not all. In this year's election you not only get the chance to run and to elect five members to the ABANA board of directors, you also get the chance to ratify changes to ABANA's bylaws. The proposed changes are posted on the web site. Take a look. Send us your comments and concerns. We'll do our best to explain the reasons for the changes we're proposing, and if you point out something we've missed, we'll address that, too.
If you are interested, or if you know of someone who might be like to run for the a spot on the ABANA board, please contact Jim Masterson. Include the interested person's name, phone number, and e-mail address.
Jim Masterson
Elections & Nominating Committee
E-mail: jim@abana.org
Work phone number (901) 774-6380
Forge on!
Chris Winterstein, ABANA President
