AAW Chapter Awards

New and Improved for 2024

 

For the past 20 years, AAW has awarded local woodturning chapters for Best Newsletter and Best Website. As local chapters continue to innovate and make more substantial impacts, AAW wants to shine the spotlight on their efforts. That’s why this year we are introducing two new Chapter Awards – The AAW Community Impact Award and The AAW Communications Excellence Award.

 

The AAW Community Impact Award

 

Woodturning is more than just a hobby. Many individuals and local chapters have used their talents to make significant contributions to their communities. This award recognizes chapters that have demonstrated a strong commitment to community service, outreach, and positive societal impact. The objective of this award is to acknowledge the chapters that have used their skills and passion for woodturning to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others, whether through charitable projects, educational initiatives, environmental stewardship, or other community-oriented activities.

 

Application Deadline: April 19, 2024

 

Eligibility Requirements:

  • The Chapter must be registered as an “AAW Chapter”.
  • The award submission must be submitted by a chapter member.
  • The award submission must include community impact projects that occurred between January 1, 2023 and March 1, 2024.

 

Submission Guidelines:

  • A member of your chapter must complete the online award application by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be judged.
  • Your submission should clearly reflect how your chapter has made a strong commitment to community service, outreach, and positive societal impact. Provide as much detail as you can about the goals, execution and results of programs or initiatives your chapter has implemented to better your community.
  • Demonstrate the results of your chapter’s projects with quantitative and qualitive information that provides clear evidence of community impact. This could include statistics, testimonials, case studies, stories, or before-and-after comparisons.
  • Community impact comes in many forms. Some examples include charitable projects, educational initiatives, environmental stewardship, inclusion initiatives, or other community-oriented activities, but your submission is not limited to these examples.
  • Read the Judging Guidelines below to get a better idea of what the judges will be looking for in your submission.

 

Judging Guidelines:

A panel of judges including AAW staff and member volunteers will review the submissions and vote on a winner. Your community impact submission will be judged on the following criteria:

  • Community Need – what inspired your chapter to implement a community impact project?
  • Implementation Strategy – how did your chapter organize and execute your community project?
  • Safety – how did your chapter emphasize safe woodturning practices with your community project?
  • Innovation – what innovative or creative approaches did your chapter implement to reach your project goals?
  • Results – what effect did your chapter have on your community?
  • Supporting Evidence – what data or information can you provide that clearly shows your chapter had a positive impact on your community?

 

 

Click here to apply.

 

 

The AAW Communications Excellence Award

 

Communication is essential to the growth and engagement of local woodturning chapters. This award honors chapters that demonstrate effective, creative, and innovative communications through email newsletters, websites, social media, direct mail campaigns or video content. The objective is to recognize chapters that have excelled in disseminating information, educating, and entertaining their members and non-members, and promoting the art and craft of woodturning through compelling and creative communication methods.

 

Application Deadline: April 19, 2024

 

Eligibility Requirements:

  • The Chapter must be registered as an “AAW Chapter”.
  • The award submission must be submitted by a chapter member.
  • The award submission must include communications that occurred between January 1, 2023 and March 1, 2024.

 

Submission Guidelines:

  • A member of your chapter must complete the online award application by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be judged.
  • Your submission should clearly reflect how your chapter has excelled in disseminating information, educating, and entertaining their members and non-members, and promoting the art and craft of woodturning through compelling and creative communication methods.
  • Types of communications to include in your submission: email newsletters, websites, social media, direct mail campaigns or video content. Quality over quantity is key. Provide samples of your best communications. Not all communication types are required to be eligible to win. A chapter with one amazing sample could win.
  • Include samples of your communications. This can include links to online examples, or you can upload documents or image files. If your sample requires a username and/or password to access, please remember to include it with your entry.
  • Read the Judging Guidelines below to get a better idea of what the judges will be looking for in your submission.

 

Judging Guidelines:

A panel of judges including AAW staff and member volunteers will review the submissions and vote on a winner. Your chapter communications submission will be judged on the following criteria:

  • Creativity – are your chapter’s communications original and engaging enough to catch the attention of your intended audience?
  • Design – are your communications designed with a contemporary and engaging look and feel?
  • Quality – how clearly and effectively (without errors) did your chapter’s communications convey your message to your intended audience?
  • Content – is the content in your chapter’s communications engaging, well written, and suitable for your audience?
  • User Friendliness – are your chapter’s communications designed and implemented to provide a seamless and enjoyable experience for the users?
  • Effectiveness – did the communication achieve its purpose? 
  • Safety – when applicable, did your chapter emphasize safe woodturning practices in your communications?

 

Click here to apply.

 

 

Announcement of Winners

One chapter will be selected for each award and the winners will be announced on May 25 during the Awards Banquet at the 2024 AAW International Woodturning Symposium in Portland, Oregon. They will also be featured in an issue of American Woodturner and on woodturner.org