There are many reasons for forming an AAW chapter in your area:

• Share woodturning skills between individuals.
• Community promotion of the woodturning craft.
• Combine resources for volume purchases.
• Creating a lending library for the group.
• Organizing presentations by well known turners.
• Organizing combined exhibitions of your work.
• Promotion of the art and craft of woodturning in your area.
• Many other benefits.

Find a Local Chapter

Local AAW chapters are independent groups of woodturning enthusiasts who come together to learn more about the craft and enjoy fellowship with other turners. AAW local chapters are located in the USA and in several other countries. Click on this link to find a chapter near you.

Star Chapter Recognition

Follow this link to an announcement on the new "AAW Star Chapters" recognition program, and a list of Local Chapters who have achieved 100% AAW membership.

We are pleased to recognize five new Star Chapters. To be a Star Chapter, all of the members of the local chapter must also be members of the AAW. Each Star Chapter receives a five-video set of Masters of Woodturning, a plaque recognizing the Star status, a listing on the AAW website (woodturner.org/community/chapters), and a listing in the Resource Directory, as well as the enthusiastic thanks of the AAW.

New Star Chapters 2010
Genesee Valley Woodturners Guild –Henrietta NY
Lancaster Area Woodturners – Strasburg PA
Principally Pens
SPA Woodturning Artists’ Guild - Ballston SPA NY
                      
New Star Chapters 2011
Peace River Woodturners – Port Charlotte FL
Woodturners Guild of North Carolina

New Local AAW Chapters

Last year seventeen new local chapters were formed, and already in 2011 five chapters have been created. Congratulations to all of you who now have local-chapter support near where you live! For more information on local chapters, including starting a local chapter, go to the AAW website, woodturner.org/community/chapters/. The local chapter representative on the AAW Board of Directors is Kurt Hertzog.

New Chapters 2010
Council of Lakeland Area Woodturners, Greenwood, SC
Gateway Turners in West Wareham, Acushnet, MA
Golden Spike Woodturners Club, Ogden, UT
Grand River Woodturners Guild, Rockford, MI
Great Falls Turners, Great Falls, MT
Guild of Long Island Woodturners, Smithtown, NY
Mid Minnesota Association of Woodturners, St. Cloud, MN
Mid MO Woodturners, Jefferson City, MO
Northwest Washington Woodturners, Mt. Vernon, WA
Principally Pens, Online Virtual Chapter
South Suburban Chiselers/Illiana Woodturners, South Holland, IL
Southeast Indiana Woodturners, Holton, IN
Southern Maine Woodturners, Portland, ME
Southern Utah Woodturners, Enoch, UT
Southwest Association of Turners (SWAT), Center Point, TX
UB6 Woodturners, Oshkosh, WI
Up There Woodturners of Aroostoock County, Houlton, ME

New Chapters 2011
Ames Area Woodturners, Ames, IA
Bytown Woodturners, Ottawa, Ontario
Havelock District Wood Turners, Norwood, Ontario
Kenai Peninsula Woodturners, Kenai, AK
Rainy River Area Woodturners, International Falls, MN
Woodturners Association of Manitoba, Inc., Manitoba

Chapter Best Practices

No need to re-invent the wheel on starting or running an AAW local chapter. Dial in here to view dozens of helpful how-to's written by those who have been there.

Starting a Chapter

Click here for information and recommendations on starting your own local chapter of the AAW.

Changes to Chapter Information

Chapter designated points of contact, usually the chapter President, are able to update their chapter's information online through the AAW members only area. If you have any questions on how to update or change chapter info, please contact the AAW office.

Recognizing Chapter Contributors

The Quiet Stalwarts - Click on this link to view our current list of those who routinely go beyond the call, and have been chosen by their local chapter for special recognition. If you have one or two members like that, let us know (one or two nominations annually) by having your Chapter President (or designee) fill out the online form found through this link.

Chapter Demonstrations

Click here for suggestions on how to insure that your club's demonstrations are effective, useful and entertaining.

Local Chapter Info

AAW Local Chapter Committee of the Board of Directors will assist if you are interested in forming a new chapter. Contact the Local Chapter Committee Chair, or the AAW office for more information.

AAW has created the Chapters Forum to assist chapters in their communications with each other. Chapter Board members, website administrators, newsletter editors, and other chapter representatives can discuss issues and experiences that affect their chapters.

While anyone can post to the Chapter Forum, we suggest the chapter President, webmaster and newsletter editor monitor the forum for new information and postings of interest.

AAW Chapter Credit Card Processing

AAW is pleased to offer our chapters, vendors and individual members the chance to process credit cards using the First Data System. Click here for more info.

AAW Disaster Relief Program

In late 2005, the AAW established a disaster relief program to benefit members in need. Click here to learn more.

Local Chapter Annual Competitions

Best Chapter Newsletter and Website Contests:

• Each year, AAW local Chapters compete for recognition - for the best Chapter Newsletter and Website
• Click here for information on the 2011 competitions.
• And, click here for a summary of past year's competition, (2004 through 2010) - our Chapter Hall of Fame.

Chapter Collaborative Challenge

Each year, we encourage all AAW Chapters to participate in the National Symposium's Chapter Collaborative Challenge. Information about this annual event may be found in the American Woodturner - usually the October issue.

AAW Critique/Evaluation Form

This is the evaluation form that was originally referenced in the Spring 2004 American Woodturner Journal. One way to improve your woodturning skills, is to encourage a critique or evaluation of your current work. The AAW Evaluation Form will guide you through a constructive review process.