Rochester Woodcarvers

Rochester, MN

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Meeting Information
Meetings are held September to May, 3rd Saturday of the month
9:00am - 11:00am

Special meeting location for September 18, 2010
Plumbers & Pipefitters  Union Local 6
1470 Industrial Dr NW
Rochester, MN 55901
click here for a map to the building

We resume meeting at our regular location on October 18, 2010...
Redeemer Lutheran Church
Fellowship Hall
(enter the door from the parking lot)
869 7th Ave SE
Rochester, MN  55904-7359
(507) 289-5147
Map to the church

Annual Dues for club members are $10 per family/mailing address

Visitors are always welcome!


2010-2011 Monthly Meeting Program Topics
September 18 - Fred Cogelow - NEW LOCATION - Union meeting hall
October 16 - Maureen (Moe) Brand - Bird Carving
November 20 - Ev Ellenwood
December 18 - Christmas Party
January 15 - Harley Schmitgen
February 19 - Randy Kinnick - restoration

March 19 - ?
April 16 - ?
May 15 - Spring Indoor "Picnic", 9:00am - 11:00am


About our club meetings
The purpose of the Rochester Woodcarvers club is to provide opportunities and activities that will help members and others get more enjoyment out of their woodcarving hobby. The Rochester Woodcarvers club was formed in early 1976. 

Meetings are on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 9:00am to 11:00am starting in September and continuing through May. Many members arrive early so they can browse through the club's extensive carving book library, check out those of interest, have coffee and doughnuts, and visit.

Meetings begin with a short informal business meeting for discussion of the club activities and plans. This is followed by "show and tell" where carvings recently completed by members and guests are displayed. Following a short break, we start the main program, which is often a talk and/or demonstration by a guest speaker or club member. At the December meeting, spouses join us and the program is "eating Christmas goodies" brought by the members. The final meeting in May is our club picnic which really isn't a meeting but another excuse to eat and talk with friends about carving. This is a friendly group of men and women who can help you in many ways to improve your carving skills and have fun doing it.

Meetings are held in the Fellowship Hall of Redeemer Lutheran Church which is on the corner of 9th Street and 7th Avenue SE. We are not affiliated with the church, but Redeemer has very generously allowed our club to meet there at no cost.

In addition to the regular meetings, the club is involved in many other community activities including: beginners classes, drop in carving, and other classes offered through Community Education, county fair exhibits and demonstrations, woodcarving show in the spring, woodcarver's tree for the Festival of Trees, etc.

If you are interested in woodcarving, consider joining the Rochester Woodcarvers. Dues for a year are $10.00 per family or mailing address. As a member you'll receive our newsletter published five times a year and a membership list. The newsletter helps to keep members informed of club activities, woodcarving events and opportunities outside of Rochester, tips, etc. As a member you can get help with: finding tools, sharpening tools, finding wood, and obtaining patterns. You can check out books from our library, learn techniques to finish your carvings, and more.

The Rochester Woodcarvers Club started in February 1976 as a result of the efforts of Michael Resman, an Occupational Therapist working with the Rochester School System.

Here is a list of volunteers that have served as Club President since the club started:

1976-1981 Norman Wilson
1981-1983 Del Schoonover
1983-1985 George Jones
1985-1987 Tom Pike
1987-1989 Ev Ellenwood
1989-1991 Tom Paska
1991-1993 Erling Burns
1993-1995 Bob Nowicki
1995-1997 Ron Bymers
1997-1999 Millard Vitse
1999-2001 Bob Kittley
2001-2003 Paul Glowacki
2003-2005 Trent Busch
2005-2007 Wayne Hendrickson

2007-2009 Randy Kinnick


Prior Year meeting topics

2008-2009 Monthly Meeting Program Topics
September 27 - Face carving demo - Ev Ellenwood
October 18 - Carving Magazine Tips & Techniques - Part 2 - Chris Whillock
November 15 - A History of the Festival of Trees - Hiawatha Homes and Rochester Woodcarvers
December 20 - Christmas Party
January 17 - Fish Carving and Painting - Norm Busta
February 21 -
Small Sculptures, Netsuke and Ojime - Janel Jacobson
Janel Jacobson will be our February (Saturday, February 21, 2009) meeting speaker and teach us about Small Sculptures, Netsuke and Ojime. These photos are just a small sample of the wide variety of carvings that Janel has completed. Check out Janel's web site at: http://www.janeljacobson.com.
March 21 - Display and Presentation of your work - Shawn Bakken
March 28-29 - 33rd Annual Woodcarver's Show - 4H Building, Olmsted County Fairgrounds
April 18 - Auction and Interest Stations
May 16 - Spring Indoor "Picnic", 9:00am - 11:00am

2009-2010 Monthly Meeting Program Topics
September 19 - Flute maker and musician - Lakota George - click here to see his web page
October 17 - Old World Master - European Woodcarving - Konstantinos Papadakis  - Check out his web page at: http://konstantinospapadakis.com/
November 21 - Carve-In - bring your tools and projects to the church for a carving session
December 19 - Christmas Party
January 16 - Engraving - Nick Poleschuk - CANCELLED because of a conflict at the church meeting room
February 20 - Carving to Preserve the Past - Dick Krom (originally scheduled as "
Carve-In" was replaced with the presentation by Dick Krom.)
March 20 - No club meeting because of our show schedule
March 20-21 - 34th Annual Woodcarvers Show - 4H Building, Olmsted County Fairgrounds
April 17 - Engraving - Nick Poleschuk - rescheduled from January
May 15 - Spring Indoor "Picnic", 9:00am - 11:00am