|
Updated 06/26/07
NUTS and BOLTS
Of the Old Dominion Blacksmith Association
The Officers of the Old Dominion Blacksmith Association are dedicated to providing its members the best demonstrators, lowest cost participation and the best communication (by the use of the Web). They will maintain firmly the Goals, Objectives and Purposes of the ODBSA.
Anyone who is seriously interested in this historic craft and is willing to be an "active member" is welcome to join. Only Adults will be classified as Members and anyone under 18 will be classified as Associate Members.
As a member you should be willing to advise anyone interested in blacksmithing on safety issues and to encourage and possibly help all those new to this arena.
To become a member of ODBSA you must complete and sign the ODBSA Application, which includes the Waiver of Liability. All memberships into the ODBSA are now valid for lifetime. New Membership cards will be issued in 2007.
An "active member" of the ODBSA is defined as: an ODBSA member who atends at least one ODBSA event in a six-month period and/or assist ODBSA in some way in the same time period.
The Old Dominion Blacksmith Association has "NO" membership dues.
All first time adult guests of ODBSA members can attend free. (Children and spouses are always free)
All ODBSA members attending one of our events are required to do one of the following:
(1) Donate an item and buy raffle tickets for the Iron-in-the-Hat (this is the preferred way)
(2) or if you do not donate an item to the Iron-in-the-Hat you must buy $20 of raffle tickets
(3) or if you do not believe in raffles (for whatever reason) and do not particpate in #1 or #2, you must pay $20 admission fee.
This is the only means ODBSA has for paying for the expenses.
Note: For thoughs of you on a tight budget all you have to do is donate an item to the Iron-in-the-Hat and buy at least 2 tickets.
Only those that require the ODBSA Newsletter to be mailed by regular mail (snail mail) to them will there be a “possible” charge of $30.00 a year for expenses (paper, ink, envelopes and postage). If anyone joins in mid term and wants the Newsletter snail mailed, the charges will be $2.50 times the number of months remaining until the following April. All monies collected for this service will go into the "Mail Fund". If any additional money is needed to cover the these expenses, it will be taken from the ODBSA "General Fund." For all Educational Director, Officers and Associate Members of the ODBSA this expense is always waived.
The Associate Member is anyone under the age of 18 who wants to learn blacksmithing. One of his/her parents or guardians must be a Member and accompany them to all events of the ODBSA. For legal reasons, the Associate Member will be considered to be Guest of the parents/guardians (Members). As with any member, they take full responsibility of all Guests that they may bring and will hold no one associated with ODBSA legally liable for any accident.
ODBSA monthly meeting/demonstrations or events: Will be held at various locations each month generally starting at 10:00 AM and continuing until lunch at 12:00 noon. The meeting/demonstration or events will generally continue after the Iron-in- the- Hat Raffle at 1:00 PM and continue until at least 3:00 PM. These hours are flexible because of events, travel time, if we eat lunch at restaurants and if the demonstrator wants to continue after 3;00 pm. If another major blacksmithing event is being held in a particular month, this could be used in lieu of the scheduled event. There will be no meeting/demonstration event in December. All members, associate members and guests "Must" sign-in at each event.
1.Refreshments and/or lunch: If provided by our host, a minimum of a $2.00 donation, if refreshments only and minimum of $5.00 if lunch is provided. Donation Jar will be provided.
2.Iron-in-the-Hat: At most blacksmithing events or meetings the traditional way to raise funds is called the “Iron in the Hat” where members and guest donate items for a raffle. Examples from the past are items made, blacksmithing books, history books, used hammers, borax, flux, used tongs, wire, railroad spikes, gloves, goggles, ear plugs, axe, horse shoes, oil painting, truck spring, car spring, old wrenches, welding rods, used punches, files, rasps, cutters, tin snips, oil, rose-headed nails, new tongs, twisting wrench, home made bread, home made soap, coal, pies, cakes and brass. In other words anything you think of that someone might want, you can donate. Normally the single tickets are a dollar each, eleven tickets for ten dollars or twenty-four tickets for twenty dollars. All money collected from the Iron-in-the-Hat will go into the ODBSA "General Fund." This is the only means we have for the expenses such as: postage, Web site, computer expenses, goggles, table, chalk board, name tags, demonstrator (refreshments & meals), and cost for guest demonstrators (expenses and fees) etc. The goal of every member should be to make an item for the Iron-in-the Hat that someone would want. This not only is a way to raise funds, show off your skills, but a learning tool for the rest of us. Many of our members love to have objects in front of them to try to replicate.
3. Auction: Any items that our demonstrators made and has agreed for them to be auctioned off, will be done so just before the Iron-in-the-Hat Raffle.
Duties:
Members:
1. Notify the president if you or your guests are planning on attending the next event and if you say you are and cannot also notify the president of change of plans.
2. Be on time for each event
3. "Must" Sign in at each event before it starts.
4. Participate in the Iron-in-the-Hat (as defined above)
5. Abide by all safety rules
6. If you want the Newsletter by regular mail, you need to pay a fee (if required).
President:
1. At the ODBSA monthly event in November each year the election of the ODBSA president shall be held. The president can be dismissed/replaced at any monthly event by a majority vote of attending members if a 30 day prior notice is given to all members that a special election will be held.
2. The president has the final decision in all aspects of the Association.
3. Part of the president's responsibilities is to find members who are willing to be ODBSA officers and to help define their responsibilities.
4. The president will bring all meetings to order, introduce demonstrators and provide any pertinent news. He/she will advise where the next month meeting will be held, who the demonstrator will be and what will be demonstrated.
5.The president is responsible for finding both the site and the demonstrators for every meeting/demonstration event. The person or persons hosting the event will aid the president by providing: (a) the times, directions, bios of the person or persons doing the demonstrations (b) what will be demonstrated (c) if refreshment and/or lunch will be provided, what will be served and who will provide them, (d) if members need to bring lunch (e) if there is a restaurant close by (f) what provision are made for inclement weather. This information will be published on the ODBSA Web site and the monthly Newsletter besides being announced at the previous event.
6.The president will maintain an up to date lists of all members, including their addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and guild ratings. He/she is responsible for maintaining the Web site www.olddominionblacksmith.com or www.odbsa.com and will provide up to date information under "Current News" on its site.
7. The president is responsible for all aspects of the Newsletter, including formatting and producing the Newsletter. He/she will provide the Newletter to all members of the ODBSA, as soon as possible, after each monthly event, but not latter than 10 days before the next monthly event.
1st Vice President (Operations): Will provide the Newsletter to all the members who need the Newsletter by snail mail, to temporarily replace the President, Administrator, Treasurer (Iron-in-the Hat) when they are absent or late and to assist any of these officers when they need help at any of ODBSA events. He/she is responsible for doing anything necessary at each event that needs to be done to assure that it will run smoothly.
Administrator: Will be responsible at each meeting/demonstration for: ensuring that all members/guests have signed in and placed a check mark if they are planning or not planning on attending the next meeting/demonstration, making sure "all "guests sign a Waiver of Liability form, assist in signing up new members, issuing and signing membership cards, issuing name tags, collecting money for lunch when required, collecting mailing fees and issue receipt for those wanting the Newsletter by regular mail, handing an item (coffee cups, hats, t-shirts etc) we offer ODBSA member, passing out any other information that need be and working with the Press (Newspaper) when called upon to do so.
Editor: Will be responsible for advising the president on all matters concerning the ODBSA monthly Newsletter. He/she will be required to proof read each Newsletter and will return the corrected version to the president within three days upon receiving it. All corrected parts must be marked in red.
Treasurer: Will be responsible for handling and keeping all monies, managing the “Iron in the Hat” and reporting each month the balance and expenses to the president.
Vice President (Library): Will be responsible for the ODBSA Library.
Recorder/Producer: Will be responsible for recording the demonstrations.
Assistant Recorder/Producer: Will be responsible to assist the Recorder/Producer and assume their responsibilities when absent.
Web Master: Will be responsible to assist in all matters concerning the computer.
Editor at Large: Will be responsible to capture, in words, the atmosphere of our monthly events and provide a detailed and complete overview of the event with interviews to be published in the following monthly Newsletter with at least one full page( letter size) but not to exceed two pages with size 10 letters for this article.
Safety Officers: Their responsiblities will be to make sure everyone in attendance is wearing glasses or safey goggles when the demonstrator is working plus checking that everyone has signed in (waiver of Liability)and has a name tag.
Note:
(1) Any of the previous officers can sign up new members and issue a membership card.
(2) The following officers are required to be at least 30 minutes early to each event: President, Administrator, Treasurer, V. P. Library, Editor at Large and V.P. of Operations.
(3) All officers are required to be active members of ODBSA and attend the majority of ODBSA events.
(4) Everyone providing articles for the ODBSA monthly Newletter must try to send them to the president within a week after the previous event.
An Educational Director: This is a designation bestrode upon some of ODBSA members who have shared their knowledge of this craft by teaching other smiths and/or demonstrated to the general public.
Other:
(1) Individual tailgate sales of blacksmithing paraphernalia are welcomed and encouraged for all of the ODBSA events.
(2) Generally, none of the meetings/demonstrations or other events of the ODBSA are open to the public. If ODBSA opens any event to the public more safety precautions must in place.
(3) Guests of attending members are welcome at all meetings/demonstrations and the member who brings a guest, understands he/she is liable for his/her guest.
(4) All members and their guests are required to sign-in (register) at each ODBSA evens. All adult guests who attend any events of the Old Dominion Blacksmith Association are required to sign a waiver of liability form when signing in (registering). We are not open to the public at our events: therefore, anyone that is not a member, who wants to attend one of our events must be an invited guest by the attending member and the guests are not required to particpate in the Iron-in-the-Hat.
(5) A Monthly Newsletter will be mailed out and/or posted on the ODBSA site at least ten days before each meeting/demonstration. Only those that have requested and have paid for mailings will a hard copy sent by regular mail. E-mail will be sent to everyone else stating that the newsletter has been posted onto the ODBSA site.
(6) Because most of ODBSA members want to learn traditional blacksmithing, in all demonstrations for the year 2006 we will try not to use power hammers and the only welding will be forge welds. For the year 2007 we will be having Traditional and non Tradtional demonstrations.
(7) Any ODBSA member that does not attend at least one meeting/demonstration or event given by ODBSA in the previous 6 months or has helped ODBSA in some way will be considered not an active member and they will not receive the newsletter unless they notify us that they want one.
(8) The e-mail addresses of all members will not be ditrubuted to anyone except some officers of ODBSA for ODBSA purposes only and will not be distributed to any one else.
(9) All membership into ODBSA is for lifetime if you attend at least one ODBSA event each year, you request your name be removed, continually late to our event (unless job related) or deemed to be disruptive to ODBSA. |
|
|
