Help Wanted: New Guild Member Facilitator(s) for Robinson Nature Center Annual Open House
Howard County Recreation and Parks, Robinson Nature Center, are looking for continuing Guild participation in their annual open house. We need two member volunteers for this one day event.
The next occasion is on Sunday, September 22nd from 12PM-5PM.
In years previous to 2018, Ron Clements and David McCann have represented the Guild and helped Robinson Nature Center visitors appreciate the art and utility of woodworking as a way of utilizing harvested wood. They were not able to participate in 2018, and the same is true for 2019.
It is now time for a change of the guard.
Both Ron and David have agreed to coach and prepare the new volunteers, and to help with defining and providing situationally appropriate work pieces to be displayed at the Guild’s table during the open house.
to volunteer.
Thank you Greg, Jack and Carl for your service at this community service event and representing the Guild.
After-Report: The Robinson Nature Center open house was a great success. The guild was treated to a premier spot by the front doors. An ideal place to welcome every visitor. We had enthusiastic interest in Carl Larson’s hand made chairs, Jack Spenser’s bird houses, Greg Knoll’s wicker baskets, and Ron Clement’s toys. A table end was dedicated in homage to the most recently repurposed donations including boats, plane, candlestick, clocks, and an inlay-ed picture.
After attempting work on actual projects we decided that power tools and hammers were too loud. Best successes were hands on items of a quieter nature like weaving, and birdhouse assembly. It would serve us well to consider other quiet tasks with hand planes, saws, twist drills or a shave horse. I think next year we will find a larger project people can contribute to as they visit – maybe a community basket or dowel construction house (think Lincoln logs).
Calvin Ball, the Howard County Executive stopped by to chat about toys for tots and the beads-n-boxes charity as well as outreach to RNC and the B&O museum. He was on a schedule with lots of booths to visit but seemed very excited by HCWG outreach and community focused projects. RNC Projects director Meagan Downey also visited along with the beneficiary/sponsor for the most recently dedicated HCWG park bench. Great visits from engaging people.
All in all a great event. Special thanks to Carl and Jack for participating with me.
THANK YOU Ron Clements and David McCann for your previous years of service representing the HCWG and woodworking to Howard County Recreation and Parks Robinson Nature Center and their annual Open House.
Thank you Greg Knoll (new lead facilitator), Jack Spencer, and Carl Larsson for stepping up to represent the Guild and serve going forward.
It a pleasure to represent the guild. We will try to have a private(ish) table discussion pefore/after the monthly meeting on 9/9 to get the basic layout of the past events. From there we will decide if further discussion is needed and how to acquire/deliver demo materials and items for the event.