I would like to take this opportunity to say how much our symposia and various workshops energize and fulfill my stone sculpting reality. For those of us not blessed to be able to sculpt as much as we want to, these events create their own little time warp in which we can totally immerse ourselves in a wonderfully different reality.
My time at Camp B was the last time I have had an opportunity to sculpt this summer, and I’m still enjoying the memory. Our various events all have a different flavor in terms of size, instructors, topics, hand tools or power, location, and time of year. I hope this variety allows everyone in this organization an opportunity to enjoy our common bond of stone sculpting.
Now that all of our major events for the year are over (except the holiday party), it is time to begin planning for next year. If there is something you would like to see happen next year, now is the time to get involved and let someone know. Contact the manager for the event, or talk with one of the Board members, and help make next year even better. Happy sculpting.
As I get ready to head out to Camp B tomorrow, it seems odd to be writing something that people won’t read until Camp B is long over. Things seem to happen quickly, and the delay from the time of this writing to publication can make this obsolete in the blink of an eye. One of the changes since last newsletter is that we have a new board member/Treasurer – James Tobin. He will be taking over from Carmen Chacon for the remainder of the year and hopefully will continue next year. Speaking of next year, if you would like to participate in running this organization of yours, you can contact Anastasia Miller about running for a Board position. Election time is coming soon. We also have a new webmaster, Sabah Al-Dhaher, so if you have anything you would like to see on our web page, you can contact him. I’m sure there are other changes I should tell you about, but I still have to pack for Camp B. But—wasn’t that way back in July?
For those of you who are new to NWSSA, or those of us who are still trying to keep up with the constant changes of a volunteer organization, I've put together a little overview of our existing structure with the people who help us accomplish all that we do. There are many people who volunteer to help out with our various endeavors who are not listed in this overview, but the intent of this is for you to see who you can contact if you have an interest in helping out in an area for which you have energy or expertise. Due to the fact that we all have busy lives outside NWSSA, there is a constant need for people who have a little extra time to spare helping to keep all of our delicately balanced plates spinning happily. So if you can lend a helping hand in some way, this organization outline will help you get in touch with someone.
Due to a number of circumstances, one event that has been cancelled from our schedule this year is the Thetis Island Symposium in B.C. in September. Although it is not a part of our scheduled events, there are a number of people in B.C. who are trying very hard to make something happen this year, for which we send our best wishes. We'll keep you informed of updates
Since there was no board meeting in February to inspire the president’s message, I thought that I would take this opportunity to share my recent experiences with technological communication.
In the process of trying to get a handle on our organization, I found that communication with our widespread membership is immensely enhanced by many modern marvels. I’m not quite as steeped in the stone age as I used to be, but I found that I wasn’t as technologically current as my fellow board members, and needed to update to stay in the loop. So, I set up an email address through the internet at my local library (for FREE), turned on my fax machine, and hooked up a new printer to my old computer. I still can’t send my “presidents message” by file, through my email to the newsletter committee, but I’m getting closer. Between my telephone, home computer, fax, answering machine, and new email, keeping the communication loop moving through our membership is easier than carting carved stone tablets around. Although my new email capability is a good informational tool, telephone and in-person conversations are still my preferred way of really “communicating”. The technological communication capabilities that are available can really help do the organizational work that needs to get done, but I’d still rather be carving.
Also, don’t forget that our NWSSA web site can help keep you informed about what’s happening between newsletters, and let you share information on your pet interest. Check it out.
