Paul was asked a couple of meetings ago if he would run for President of CDBA. He agreed and we put it to a vote by show of hands. Paul was unanimously voted in and he accepted. Jim and Jack and everyone else present agreed to help Paul out if and when in the unlikely event that he needed assistance. Three cheers to Paul!!

The Abana Board will return conference registration fees to those who wish to cancel due to the Corona virus. The conference is still scheduled and volunteers are needed to help. Volunteers will work only a few hours during the conference without missing the demonstrations.

There will be up to four golf carts operating morning and afternoon on Wed June 3, Thurs June 4, Fri June 5, and Sat June 6. The carts will be available to provide shuttle service around the conference grounds for those attendees who require assistance. We also plan to have a few volunteers on duty at the conference entrance gate /parking lot during the mornings of all days to ensure that attendees find an appropriate parking space in good order. Need for more help is sure to develop at the start and during the conference.

Would you be willing to assist with some of these duties? If so, please advise which days and times (am or pm) would best fit your schedule. Dana Flanders is in charge of volunteers. He asks that you provide name, email address and phone number. Please contact him at: [email protected]. —713-569-8422

As many of you might remember, Greg died last year. On Saturday, March 21 from appox. 10 AM to 5 PM this annual event will continue. This will be hosted by Kelly Scott Anson and the Northeast Blacksmiths Association.

At the request of the Phillips Family and to honor the tradition and memory of our good friend and member Greg Phillips, we are having the spring hammer-in that Greg would host at his shop every year.

The demonstrators this year will be Dave Kurdyla and Fletcher Coddington. There will be tailgating and food. The food will be provided by a caterer and if you want to partake we just ask that you pay a small donation to cover the cost of the food and the expenses for the day.

For his demonstration, Dave will be forging and heat treating a hammer. All the forging will be done by hand and using a striker. The photo at the top of the page is some of Dave's work.

Fletcher will be demonstrating forming hollow metal forms using air pressure.

The tailgating area will be along side of and behind the shop. Please only park there is you are tailgating. The neighbors next door generously allow us to use a parking area on their property. We ask that you be considerate of all the neighbors and their properties when attending this event.the Northeast Blacksmith's website (www.northeastblacksmiths.org) for details and how to get to Greg's shop.

LOCATION

For you folks who don't use the CDBA Facebook page developed by Paul Crosby, where you can see a picture of Elijah holding what looks like a 30 # sledge, Elijah will be our member demonstrator for the first month of the new year. Elijah will show us how to make a variety of the smaller tools needed in any blacksmith shop.

FYI: Jim Moran, the surprising old guy that he is, will be married (Yes!) two days later on 1/28/20! Goes to show, life goes on after 80 (+)! Needless to say, he probably won't make the January meeting.

January 26, 2020: Elijah Hammond-Wood on the making of the smaller shop tools

February 23: NOT TO BE MISSED!! Mike Cataldo will be hosting another of his fantastic meetings in his Central Bridge Home shop. See Facebook for future details.

March 29:?

April 26:Paul will do a demo on making a belt buckle at noon on Facebook Live.

May 31:?

June 28: LIFE AS WE KNOW IT HAS BEEN CANCELLED!

July 26:?

August 30:There will (hopefully) be a meeting at the Adirondack Folk School in Lake Luzerne. See the seperate announcement.

Sept 27:?

October 25:?

November 29:?

December 27: No meeting

January 31, 2021:?