The Blackhawk Woodcarvers Monthly Business Meeting was called to order by Elaine Terrell. John Wacker gave a Treasurer's report. There are six people signed up for the September 23 carving class. Don Stansfield has a handout that identifies the tools and presents a summary of the class. Jeffery Hartman asked if some carvers would like to carve at the July 28, 29, 30th Thresher Days in Freeport. Don Stansfield gave a summary report of show registrations; 14 registered, with 44 items for the advanced class. Judie Suit perhaps will seek her friend to demonstrate glued collages.

Richard Anderson----Wall hanging from pine; had trouble with limbs breaking, and needed some gluing up.

Lloyd Dourest---A large cross that Dave Hoffman carve which is on display at their church, also has Dave's picture at the base.

Show Time is upon us. If you have just returned from space and have not heard the latest, our annual woodcarving show is "set to go" Saturday August 19th. Registration report by Don Stansfield says that we should be booked solid by the 19th. Good news is that there are three vendors signed up. And further good news is that we will be not go hungry with Damon's Restaurant camped at the back door. Some loose ends, though, we still need volunteers----contact Bob Hallstrom 997-3930, or Elaine Terrell 765-2886 to lend a hand. The tables will be in place by Friday morning, and you may set up your table Friday beginning around noon. Do not forget to mail those announcement post cards to your friends and family. Also please mark your calendars for the next business meeting on Tuesday night August 15th, because there will be some important items to discuss before the show day.

I shall look forward to seeing you.

Keep your tools sharp, Roger Benedict

August 15^th----Open time; show review of final details, and open personal carving, etc.

September 12^th----Annual Picnic at Sinissippi Park beginning at 4:00 PM. Eat at 5:30 PM; plus needing an idea from Mars for a group carving project?

September 19^th----Guest Speaker Roger Benedict about reliefs; a hands on activity, bring your tools to carve a leaf.

September 23^rd----All day carving class by Don Stansfield on flat plane carving of a nativity scene.

October 17^th----Guest Speaker Steve Coogan about sketching what you see; a hands on activity of sketching.

November 21^st---- Guest speaker Bob Matthews on painting your carving; bring paints and brushes.

December 19^th----Christmas party and swap night.

The shelter house is reserved at Sinissippi Park for our annual picnic. The time and date is 4:00 pm till dark on Tuesday, September 19^th. Spouses and friends are encouraged and welcomed. Bring a dish to pass and your favorite meat to grill. Soda pop will be furnished. Begin eating at 5:30 pm. Bring a carving idea that we all can share; anything from Mars will be graciously accepted.

A basswood carving class is scheduled for Saturday, September 23, 2006 at Kenrock Community Center. Don Stansfield will conduct the class from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm covering the subject of Flat Plane Carving of a Nativity Scene. The nativity will consist of Mary, Joseph, Jesus in a crib, a star, and a base. Maximum class size is 20. Cost is $25 per person that includes the basswood. Make checks payable to Blackhawk Woodcarvers and submit your name and check before the 23rd to:

Don Stansfield

1508 W Lincoln Blvd

Freeport, IL 61032.

You must furnish your own tools. For additional information call Don at (815) 235-0075. His carved subject was shown Wednesday, and the subject looks easy to learn this technique.

The show date is Saturday, August 19, 2006. Tell your friends and relatives. This is an opportunity for you to display the many good carvings that are produced by your creativity and hard work. You need to reserve a table if you are not in the competition. The doors will be opened 7:00 AM on Saturday morning to get ready for the registration and display table set-up. Table display set-up can also be done on Friday afternoon. Volunteers are still needed; contact Bob Hallstrom at 997-3930 and Elaine Terrell if interested 765-2886.

MEET OUR NEW MEMBERS Don and Tod Wisner

Dona and Tod Wisner are now settled in with the program of woodcarving. Since joining our club it is our pleasure to have this husband and wife team keeping some of the "old timer story tellers" honest. Their run for the roses has them married for 52 years, with a family of three sons (one son is deceased) and two grandchildren. Both Dona and Tod hail from Rockford and attended Rockford East High School; sounds like child hood sweet-hearts. For many years they owned a vacation home as a retreat of many acres in Wisconsin. While in Wisconsin they enjoyed the country living from their gardens, walking the creek beds and fields, and seeking a snake or two. Fact has it that Tod had intentions of making a belt from a snake hide, but gave up, because the snake hide was frozen too long in the food freezer. Their out door life has not changed in Rockford. Today we have heard about a fun project of expanding a fishpond in their Rockford home back yard. From the way it is described Tod does the digging, and Dona does the supervising--------does this sound familiar?

Dona started carving during G. Moscinski's class in 2005 at Rock Valley College. Tod for years has taken up a carving tool to carve a thing or two, but became serious with the same carving class with Dona. Both are retired from a company they owned and managed in the Rockford industrial sales and service area. Today they enjoy a McDonalds breakfast every morning with a coffee group, and Tod somehow manages another breakfast on Tuesdays at the Potato Shak. Dona and Tod truly enjoy each other from the standpoint of mutual kidding and easy to laugh about the older days from their 52 years of marriage. They have some interesting habits, though, as Dona likes any dessert that is yummy, likes jazz and dance music, and likes to carve anything that comes along as an inspiration. Now for Tod, he likes berry pie and the Sahara desert, enjoys acoustic guitar and big band dance music, and his carving choice is with eclectic interests (you will have to see him for what this means.)

We have enjoyed Dona and Tod's new adventure with us, and look forward to seeing them every week.

Sandy Schmitt is rehabilitating to regain his strength in Saint Anne's on North Alpine. He enjoys your visits and cards.

Walt Gipe has completed his physical therapy, and has been suggested that Walt get some more therapy at the Wednesday carving sessions.

Please forward any club or member information to the editor. Also if so inclined, submit any type of letter of 200 words or less for the newsletter. These would be due the last week of every month.

August 19….Rockford, IL, Blackhawk Woodcarvers 12^th annual show and competition at Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Gardens. Roger Benedict (815) 988-3314

September 10….Madison, WI, Capital Carvers of WI 18^th annual show at Olbrich Botanical Gardens.

September 16….Janesville, WI Rock River Valley Carvers Show & Competition at Rock Co. Fair Grounds, Craig Center 1301 Craig Ave, Janesville, WI. 10 am to 4 pm. Ruth McNally (608) 752-0930

September 19…-24….Somonauk, IL Gathering of Woodcarvers (GOW) 2006 at the Carving Shop, 645 E. LaSalle Street Suite 3. Somonauk, IL. Contact Joe Dillett, (815) 498-9290 for specific events. Classes of 15 instructors, 35 seminars Bob Mau (185) 786-9404

October 14-15 Thorton, IL, South Suburban Chiselers host annual Wonders of Woodworking show in recreation center at 701 Highland Ave, Peggy Kelly (708) 877-5244

October 28-29….Wheaton, IL, North Suburban Carvers 27^th Artistry in Wood Exhibition and Competition at DuPage County Fairgrounds. Terri Pijut (847) 458-2919

"Some folks think a great many nerds
Spend most of their time watching birds
but I am much brighter
and this as a writer
Spend all of my time botching words."

_____Doug Larson

A QUOTE

"The greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes."

_____Winston Churchill

The Blackhawk Woodcarvers was founded in 1993 and has a goal of preserving and encouraging the art of woodcarving. Membership is open to anyone having any skill of carving, including those who have never carved and want to learn about carving.