The 2008 Symposium of the AAW

The 22nd Annual National AAW Symposium
Date: Friday June 20 - Sunday June 22, 2008
Greater Richmond Convention Center

We need several more volunteers to help out at the Richmond symposium. A great opportunity for a spouse or member, is to help out at the Instant Gallery. Another area where we need help is demonstrator’s assistants. Here is your opportunity to get up close and personal with the great demonstrators from all around the world. You will not have to operate the camera but will be there to help the demonstrator and have the best seat in the house. We also have an opportunity for you to help in the Youth room. There is no greater feeling than helping a young person learn to turn. As a volunteer, you will receive a free special T shirt. To volunteer for any of these positions, please contact inquiries@woodturner.org

• Online registration for the 2008 symposium is available through the Members Only area by clicking here. After logging on, click on the button labeled "AAW Symposium 2008 Registration" on the left-hand side of the page. If you are not a current member of the AAW, and would like to participate in the symposium, just follow this link to join the AAW, and then logon as a member.
• The symposium is open to anyone with an interest in woodturning. The full registration fee includes demonstrations, Instant Gallery, trade show and auction. For cancellation through May 15, 2008, a $30 processing fee will be deducted. After that date the fee is non-refundable.
• Technical and Vocational Ed teacher's symposium registration fee (not including banquet ticket) will be waived upon request. A Technical and Vocational Ed teacher is defined as: one who works in these fields full-time, and in an accredited public or private grade school, jr high/high school, technical school or college. If you qualify, give the AAW office a call at 651-484-9094 to register.

• A drawing for 25 Youth turning stations will be announced at the Saturday night banquet. This give-away event is sponsored by: WMH Tool Group, Teknatool International, Crown Tools, Cryosteel Engineering Technologies, Dust Bee Gone, Vince's WoodNWonders, and Woodcraft.
  

• The $75 registration fee will be waived for youth turners ages 10 through 17 when accompanied by a registered adult AAW member. Click here to read more about this program and to access the Youth Registration forms.

• AAW local chapter, Woodturners Anonymous of Richmond, who will be hosting the Symposium, has selected the Children’s Hospital of Richmond as the recipient of the Return To The Community gifts this year. Children's Hospital is a private, nonprofit hospital that serves children from birth through the age of 21. Click on this link for more information on Children’s Hospital.
• Any toy that kids can play with, turned or otherwise, will be gratefully appreciated. Suggestions include finger tops, pull string tops, toy cars and trucks, as well as rattles for the little ones, but we are certain that the ingenuity of AAW members will produce some inventive toys.
• The Woodturners Anonymous of Richmond chapter wishes to thank all woodturners in advance for the toys they will be contributing to the hospital.

• Professional Outreach Program (POP) sponsored presentations - click here for a PDF list or click here for the same list in Word file format.
• "The Sphere" Exhibition and Auction: A special exhibit in Richmond titled "The Sphere" will represent the work of more than 50 invited woodturners. These spheres will be part of a silent auction at the Symposium to support future POP events, functions and awards.
• Resident Artists Program: The POP will kick off a new and innovative presentation - The Resident Artists program. Throughout the weekend, invited artists’ Louise Hibbert and Sara Eaton Parker will work in a continual process allowing participants to view their progress.

• Click on this link for a list Special Interest Night topics and other SIN information

• Click on this link for a list (including contact info) of participating vendors (PDF)
• This link will take you to a list of vendors who may have lathes at the Symposium, available for pre-sale

• This wonderful tradition of past symposiums is open to all attendees. Please bring up to three of your own turned creations to share with others. Limited vertical wall display space will once again be provided, so don't hesitate to bring your wall-mounted turnings. The gallery will be open to the public and the community, as well as to symposium participants - displaying more than 600 pieces.
  

• A bulletin board is available for people to post messages. Also a photo wall-anyone is welcome to bring pictures of interesting or humorous lathes, jigs, tips, or turnings. Also, bring copies of your chapter newsletter to share.

• Turned for Use II exhibition - click here for Juried Application Form in Word and in PDF file formats
• Chapter Collaborative Challenge - click here for details

• Click here for information on AAW sponsored tours of the Richmond area
  

• Thursday June 19, 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. - Registration/Check-in (registration also on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 7:45 am).
• Saturday June 21, 5:30 pm to 6:00 PM - Social Hour, followed by the Banquet/Auction at 7:30 PM
  Ph: 503-235-7575
• Friday-Sunday: Rotational Demonstrations, Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.

• Ask for the AAW discount to receive our special rates. Be sure to reserve your room early as rooms are limited and available is on a first-come, first-served basis.  A limited number of rooms are reserved until May 20, but the hotels may be sold out earlier if demand is high. Need a roommate? See the AAW on-line forums.
• Richmond Marriott (host hotel) 804-643-3400
  Rate: $115, plus tax for a single or double based on availability on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Omni Richmond Hotel (alternate hotel) 804-344-7000
  Rate: $119, plus tax for a single or double based on availability on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Crowne Plaza Hotel (alternate hotel) 1-804-788-0900
  Rate: $119, plus tax - be sure to ask for the "AAW" rate.
• Doubletree (alternate hotel) 1-804-644-9871
  Be sure to ask for the AAW rate. There are 20 rooms available on this contract, as of 4/25/2008.
• Local Campgrounds: click here for contact info.

• Air Travel: Northwest Airlines offer a 7% discount for tickets purchased 30 + days in advance and 5% for ticket purchased 0 - 29 days of travel. There are higher discount for first class seating. A $10 non refundable ticketing fee will be assessed for tickets issued by Northwest. Be sure to mention "meeting ticket designator NMDMP" to get the discounts. If you'd like assistance making reservations, contact Verene Travel toll free at 888-560-8747 or by email - vposavad@aol.com
• Transportation From Airport to Hotels: Cabs from the airport to either hotel run $25-30.  The trip takes about 10-15 minutes.
• Other Ground Transport: The Greater Richmond Transit Company (804-358-4782) http://www.ridegrtc.com provides bus service throughout Richmond's downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.
• Local Parking: There is plenty of parking at all the hotels and adjacent to the convention center for hourly and/or daily visits. AAW sponsored parking discounts are not available.  
• AMTRAK
  Amtrak Richmond, Virginia
  Historic Main Street Station
  1500 East Main Street
  Richmond, VA 23219
  800-872-7245 For rate and route info visit: www.amtrak.com

• Here's what you've been waiting for - click here to view THE GRID (pdf)

• Click here for a listing of 2008 Symposium demonstrators (pdf)

If you have any questions or changes with your registration, please contact the AAW office at (651) 484-9094, or by email: inquiries@woodturner.org

• Keynote Address by Kevin Wallace - click here for the Word file and here for the PDF version
• Binh Pho's tribute to Frank Sudol - click here for the Word file and here for a PDF version
• Frank Sudol/Binh Pho collaboration piece description - Word file and PDF version
• Click on this link for a short video - Binh Pho's tribute to Frank Sudol
• And click on this link to view the complete 13 minute Frank Sudol tribute
• Photo and Video Gallery
• Japanese Bowls - A Western Perspective (1.2MB pdf) - Click here to purchase a catalog copy
• Turning Green - An International Juried Exhibition of Woodturning (5.8MB pdf) - Click here to purchase a catalog copy
• List of Volunteers - Please let us know if we have missed any volunteers. With over 20 committees and so many people stepping up to help from all directions, we may have missed a few who deserve recognition. So, if you spot an omission, please help us correct it.
• Live Auction benefiting EOG program - click here for a list of donors and auction results (thank you!)
• List of Youth Program Donors (thank you!) - click here for information