Alex Bealer Blacksmith Association

My only comment, ABA is the guild for Atlanta and North GA. OBG is composed of members who live south of Atlanta and the rest of GA. It sure would be nice NOT to have the permanent location so far south. Gas prices are headed up not down. It may limit the attendance of members in N.GA. because they would have to TRAVEL THROUGH Atlanta traffic. But it would be a good location, for all the people on the southside of Atlanta.

Boy, what a great idea, Houston.
Let's have a joint site. Or, you come up w/ a free site inside I-285.
Those that love blacksmithing will (I've)often drive(n) 2 hrs to get to a club meeting. We need a permanent site for perpetuity. Think of the workshops we could have. Education!

I think the travel time is an issue. For those of us north of the city, traffic around Atlanta can decide whether I make the drive or not. If we could afford two locations, one north and one south of the city, that would be ideal, but that means a lot of money and fundraising. I wouldn't want to see it within 285, first because of the cost of inside 285 real estate, but also it is much easier to go out of the city on Saturday than in the city if there is any kind of event going on.

But we should concentrate on one location at a time--we have a unique opportunity with Ken's offer. If the site can work, we should do our best to make it happen. But the first step is the 501 c-3 designation to make the fundraising easier. Then, we need to look at fundraising events. I have suggested ideas for that on this forum and got no feedback, but if anyone has a better idea than an auction, I'm all ears. After all, more than one event will be needed to raise the funds. I'll volunteer my shop for work sessions to make things to auction as long as its not in the spring busy season.

So come on guys, lets get some dialog going, I know more of you read this than Dan and I!

Linda

Linda Holmes-Rubin

I think it's a great location. If it was on the northside, I still think that would be a great location. The fact is we have a potential permanent site.Your right Dan. Think of the workshops. Every meeting is a little inconvenient for some of us. We all still make it. Your right,the price of gas is going only in one direction. We live with it. That makes it a personal choice.Incidentally,I was not aware of the exclusivity of ABBA to the Atlanta area north only. "south of Atlanta and the rest of the state" being the responsibility of OBG. I know many members who contribute a great deal to both ABBA and OBG.
Thankyou Ken, for your families gracious offer. It says alot to me about your commitment to the perpetuity of the guild. Thank you. See you guys Sat.

Frank

Frank Price

Last weekend, at the Blade symposium, The Ala. group had an auction.
They raised OVER $10,000.00. That is in addition to other incomes(Annual conference@ Tannehill,IITH, and gate at symposium). But those things take work by alot of volunteers. Something we don't have.

The blade symposium auction shows it CAN be done. But I'm sure it didn't start out that big. We just have to start and keep moving forward. I think part of our volunteer problem is that we have been too much in a rut. I think new things like an auction, with a little publicity, will bring us not only cash, but new members and new enthusiasm.

Linda Holmes-Rubin

I think it is overdue. I live well north of Atlanta, but a permanent shop, even south of the airport would be a real plus as far as I am concerned. There are a large number of questions to be answered, but having a site that is suitable in zoning situations is a huge advantage and this site seems to answer that. I do not see it as a site that would be used for every meeting,as moving from shop to shop has certainly provided us with a variety of smithing that we would not have seen in a single location. BUT, having a base of operations where permanent displays and tooling could be located and where we could bring visiting smiths and tell them that we have such and such tooling and facilities available would be a real advantage. I am looking forward to the next meeting there to see what might develop.