The Guild incorporated as a 501 C-3 nonprofit in 1992, electing officers and complying with all the legal and financial requirements that this form of nonprofit entails. Everyone had his or her own shop, so there was no great interest in a Guild-sponsored community shop.īack in those days, the group’s organization was relatively informal, but as the percentage of less-experienced woodworkers increased, things had to change. Fellowship with like-minded people was a main emphasis in the early days. “The initial group did not envision much beyond a monthly information and techniques exchange,” says Dave Kraatz, a member since the Guild’s inception and the recently retired Director of Training. The Guild was formed in 1984 with 25-30 members, about half of them professional, the others serious hobbyists. Here’s a glimpse into how the Kansas City Woodworkers’ Guild has pulled it off. But keeping a community shop going over the long term, not to mention growing the membership and changing in response to members’ ideas, takes prodigious energy and finely tuned organization. Many people dream about starting a community shop, and some bring that dream to life. These two excerpts get directly to the reality of running a community workshop. If you use some equipment, e.g., the 37” sander, a donation is encouraged to help pay for the expensive sanding loops it uses. Apparently a fair amount of glue comes in from this member or that. One of the ways we keep the membership rates low is that members frequently donate consumables. “Guild dues are low in order to promote the craft of woodworking. If you take a turn once every two years, it should work out.” You are uncomfortable with the state of the rest room? We can show you where the cleaning supplies are. “There is no cleaning service at the shop. What makes this organization truly impressive is not the space or the tools, but the people who keep it going.Ĭonsider the following couple of entries from the website. But there’s nothing like spending a week or more teaching in a place to make you really appreciate what such bragging rights really entail (not that anyone at the Guild is bragging they’re a modest lot). Add to this the extraordinarily affordable membership fee-$75 a year-and your eyes may pop, as mine did. I’d also heard they had some highly skilled members, such as Les Hastings. That in itself is impressive, as social organizations go. Sure, I’d heard about the 10,000 square foot shop and was dimly cognizant that the place had existed for a long time, though I didn’t yet know just how long. Craig Arnold, newly elected President, and Larry Thies, whose desk is on display here.
Left to right: Sharon Pugh, Dave Kraatz, recently retired Director of Training, Robert Fenn (kneeling), Kirk Wanless, Barb Hinton, Marseille Bredemeyer, Oliver Clark, Miranda Clark, Gary Mielke, Treasurer, yours truly (in a rather unflattering t shirt), Andrew Carr, Rick Chandler (hiding behind Andrew), Craig Alexander. Guild members who took my class, with one of the nearly finished desks.
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