The history of the Chippewa Valley Woodturners Guild (CVWG) begins in November of 2008 with ten charter members and as an affiliate of the American Association of Woodturners (AAW).
At that time there were eight (8) chapters in Wisconsin, Duluth, Rochester and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul MN. The impetus for the founding of the CVWG began at an Alan Lacer seminar at Heartland Hardwoods. It was with the printing of a simple brochure and passing around a piece of paper for names of interested parties that the CVWG chapter was started.
An organizational meeting was held at Heartland Hardwoods on the first Wednesday of November in 2008. Brian George was elected the first club president with Richard Golde as the vice president, Carl Brown as treasurer and Al Waite as secretary. Dues were established at $12.00 per year which has since been raised to $25.00.
From a small group of ten, the CVWG grew to a group of over 95 members in four years. The first lathe was purchased that year and the first annual Wisconsin Woodturners Expo was held in November of 2009.
CVWG is a non-profit organization whose main charities are Feed My People and the Boys and Girls Club. The guild makes bowls by the hundreds and donates them to the Empty Bowls event in early spring in Eau Claire and Menomonie. CVWG recently started a project with Boys and Girls Club where we teach young people the craft of woodturning.
In May 2011, CVWG moved to new quarters at 1125 Starr Avenue, which included over 1500 square feet of auditorium space with a boardroom and tool room and have grown to include six lathes for education of members. CVWG members fixed up the formerly empty space and installed a new HVAC rooftop system and are currently holding monthly meetings there, with an open house once a month.