[Woodcarver] GOW information and we need your help... with permission

[Bill Judt]

Bill, could you please post this to your List? Thanks.
Joe
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  Dear fellow woodcarvers,

This is to inform you what’s happening in the planning of GOW 2008.

As you know we've outgrown my facility. We've been blessed with the  
support woodcarvers from all over the world. This past GOW we had 49  
seminars over 4 days. We grow in size every year. I’ve run out of  
classroom and camping space here at my shop.

As we look for a new facility, for future GOW’s, our plan is to  
continue to offer a wide-range of educational opportunities to  
woodcarvers at a reasonable price. We struggle with keeping the cost  
low, because most attendees are on a fixed income. At the same time we  
try to get the instructors income high enough to offset their  
expenses, keeping in mind that the instructors are the most important  
people to make the GOW a success. We also have to meet the expenses of  
the facility. Almost every one of our great instructors has falling  
short of meeting their expenses but still come back to teach year  
after year. We can never thank them enough for their dedication and  
generosity. I feel that we need to get a cost structure that will meet  
our instructors expenses if we are going to continue to grow.

We had an awesome GOW 2007 that met facility expenses. Past years we  
always came close, with your wonderful support, but this year I had no  
out of pocket expenses. Most of the credit goes to you people who  
carved enough cane segments to make 4 canes plus the cane from our  
friends in the UK. Thank you for your support.

It has been an honor hosting the GOW these past years. It will  
continue to be an honor to keep the GOW going as an informal group of  
friends that enjoys socializing as much as taking the awesome  
seminars. So much credit for our success has to be given to our Co- 
Host Bob Mau who is responsible for all the classes and publicity.  
Also the hard work of Co-Host Sandy Roosa who organizes all the  
camping, activities and making sure the money comes close to matching  
expenses. Also Co-Host Sharon Dillett, my awesome wife, who is in  
charge of food and keeping my feet on the ground. Co-Host Gene  
Westerberg is currently working hard helping me come up with a new  
facility that will work for future GOW’s.

Our facility costs, for GOW 2007, are broken down as follows. Tent 40  
X 80 = $1,150, 30 tables=$217, 120 chairs=$114, Insurance rider=$125,  
3 Porta-potties+ 1 wash station=$190, garbage 2 dumpsters=$115 and  
electricity about $150, Misc. expenses of food, coffee, supplies, etc  
about $450 for a total of about $2,511. The camping fees and cane  
raffle have covered the majority of these expenses. Food money  
collected covered the food expenses. Past years we’ve come close to  
meeting our expenses and this last year all my expenses were met.  
Thank you.

At this time I have no idea what the expenses of a new facility are  
going to be. It is difficult finding a site with a building/buildings  
large enough for growth as well as reasonable camping fees. I have  
already checked out about 6 places. Gene and Bob have checked out more  
places. We are currently meeting with the Sandwich Fair board on  
December 7th to discuss renting an open building in the livestock area  
on the west end of the Sandwich Fair which is 2 miles from my shop. We  
are trying to keep the same dates, which will be the week of September  
15th, 2008.

Please help us plan GOW 2008 and beyond. Where you could help us is to  
email me off list at jdillett at thecarvingshop.net to give us ideas on  
how to make the GOW better and make it work for you. We need to know  
how you feel about the following so we can better serve your needs.  
Even if you have no intention of coming your input would be helpful.
I am planning to come to GOW 2008 [  ].
I can’t come to GOW 2008                 [  ]


1)      If you have not attended what could we do to get you to attend? 
______________________________________

2)      If you have attended what could we do to make it better? 
_______________________________________

3)      If you have attended what would you NOT want changed? 
______________________________________

4)      Please give us an idea of your budget for the entire week, or  
X amount of days that you can attend.(Exclude your travel expenses and  
food while you’re here.)
a)      The figure for you budget should include camping fees, class  
registration, class fees paid to instructors, patterns and roughouts  
for class and donations to raffles for a total of $_____________  for  
how many classes ________ over how many days ____________.
b)       Please indicated if you are camping [  ], staying at a motel  
[  ] or driving to and from every day [  ]

  5) Do you like the shorter class format 1 or ½ day [   ] or would  
you prefer to remain in one class longer, for the whole 4-days, for a  
more in-depth study of one topic [   ]?

6) What other classes besides woodcarving and woodburning would you  
prefer? Drawing [  ], quilting [  ], painting [   ], pastel portrait  
[  ], clay [  ] and others (please specify)__________________________  
[   ].

Thank you,

Joe Dillett
The Carving Shop
645 E. LaSalle St. Suite 3
Somonauk, IL. 60552
(815) 498-9290 phone
(815) 498-9249 fax
http://www.thecarvingshop.net [business web site]
http://www.carvingmagazine.com ['Ask Joe' column]
http://community.webshots.com/user/joe_dillett
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