Full membership in the Howard County Woodworker’s Guild requires:
- A sincere interest in woodworking,
- A desire to belong to an organization of people who share that same interest in woodworking,
- Agreement to be bound by the Guild’s Bylaws, Workshop Policy, Web Site Usage Terms and Conditions, and Privacy Policy; and
- To pay your annual membership or new member prorated dues on time.
You do not have to have any woodworking experience nor any tools to become a member.
Some of the benefits of membership are:
- Meeting and exchanging ideas with people who have similar interests.
- Organizing and participating in shows and sales put on by the Guild.
- Being able to participate In group buys of lumber, tools, and supplies.
- Being alerted to discount opportunities through the Guild’s bulletin board.
- Attending tool and product demonstrations.
- Obtaining help in finding hard to find Items.
- Bulletin board/newsletter for sales and exchanges of tools and supplies.
- Networking opportunities.
- Having a meeting place with a shop.
As a member there is a reservoir of WOODWORKING EXPERTISE to draw on for Information and help. This means that when phone and call on an expert, someone who has probably already had a similar experience and has solved it. Secondly, tool information. I doubt if you can find any reasonably available tool which one or more of our members doesn’t own or is familiar with.
Tool buying recommendations from other Guild members provides an individual an edge when considering a costly tool purchase. Another advantage of membership Is BUYING POWER, bulk purchase woodworking supplies and accessories.
As a Guild, we do need money to operate, and selling items to members is just one way to do it Regardless, the price you pay Is usually significantly better than what you could do on your own.
NEW IDEAS is yet one more advantage of being a Guild member. During the course of a year each member is enriched by the ideas, the woodworking projects and the shop tips that other members present during meetings. Its fair to say that just about all of us have our woodworking skills constantly challenged by what others bring in to Show and Tell. Frequently that means our own woodworking takes on new dimensions or takes off in different directions which we never before considered.
Finally, membership is its own reward when it comes to making NEW FRIENDS who share the same interest and involvement in woodworking that you do. It is always wise to bring some cash [or checkbook) to the meetings. You never know what deals or bargains you might find. Members frequently bring tools or other items to sell right there on the spot. or a group order may be placed. Also since there are vending machines at the Center, you may want to purchase a soda.