Minutes of December 2007 Meeting
Submitted by Tim Elliott, Secretary


Minutes of CNEW meeting 12/06/2007


As usual, Al asked any guests/visitors to identify themselves. Nobody raised their hand. There seemed to be many member spouses in attendance.

The main point of business was to conduct elections for 2008 officers.
We will have:

President: Charlie Croteau
Internal VP: Dave Eaton
Treasurer: Norma Hogan
Newsletter Editor: Rick Angus
Secretary: Tim Elliott
Photographer: Mike Stone
Video Librarian: Al Faul
Book Librarian, Club store: Ray Boutotte
Webmaster: Dave Eaton
Wood Swap, Freedom Pens: Gene Spadi
Project Goodwill: Charlie Croteau


Nobody stepped forward to be External VP. We would like to fill this position at the next meeting before the Woodworks show in January. Please consider volunteering.

Many thanks to our outgoing 2007 officers, some of whom have served many years.


Lisa Boutotte showed a box of blocks made by a local (general) woodworking club for donation to local kids. They appeared to be unfinished wood scraps with the edges sanded over for safety. Lisa said the kids were thrilled with these simple toys and asked if CNEW members would be willing to make similar sets. Several members volunteered. If you would like to contribute, please bring any blocks you make to a CNEW meeting to be pooled and divided into sets. Lisa will make cloth bags to hold each set.

CNEW will again have a booth at the Woodworks show at "the big E" grounds near Springfield. The dates for this event are January 11-13 2008.

Al Czelez has a very large lathe available. It has a ten foot bed length, 3 horsepower motor, and 22" capacity over the bed. It weighs in the vicinity of 2500 pounds. He is offering this free to anyone who can arrange to pick it up.

CNEW member John Styspek is in the hospital. Many of us signed a card for him.

Dues for 2008 are payable any time. Cost is $20 for newsletter via e-mail, $25 if you want a paper newsletter via US mail.

2007 president Al passed the gavel to 2008 president Charlie Croteau. Charlie had a surprise wood-identification challenge. He passed out a brown wood sample with an unusual smell which nobody was able to ID. In the end, he had to tell us: it was "roasted maple", a new manufactured product intended to compete with walnut. Very tricky, Charlie.

Tonight's program: Annual pot-luck and gift swap.



Show & Tell

Very sparse this month; the gift swap seems to have mostly displaced it.
There was one very large ash bowl by Dominic Leroux.