Appeal for Stewards

Appeal for help in the running of the Woodwork Section of the Port Elliot Show

With so much happening this year at the Woodworking section of the Port Elliot Show, I’m putting out a call to those with an interest in wood work of any kind, who would like to be part of this exciting event, to indicate how they think they might like to be involved. While the work is voluntary, being a part of the Show, gets you in the gate for free! It’s a fun couple of days and if we get sufficient bods, we can arrange for time off from the woodwork section to go see some of the rest of the Show.

Below are the areas where we are looking for some assistance.

1. Big Stan Ceglinski is coming to this year’s Show. Anyone who has been to a Working With Wood Show has probably met Big Stan. If you don’t know him I won’t take the time to try to describe him (next to impossible anyway). Just Google him and watch the youtube vids.

Anyway, Stan is going to need some help setting up at the show grounds in Port Elliot on Thursday or Friday (8th or 9th October) before the show. He’s also going to need some assistance in packing it all up again on Sunday evening (11th Oct). During the Show itself, (10th and 11th Oct), Stan is ‘Mr. Entertainment’ which means he’s going to be busy with the crowds and needs people to handle the sales of his hand-made guitars and instruments and also the exotic Queensland timbers he’s bringing with him. He’s going to need a couple of ‘helpers’ each day, so if you think you’d like to work with Big Stan on any or all of these days, I’d really love to hear from you. You can call Doug Collins anytime on 8552 8822 or email at: whittling@waitpingacliffs.com

2. Wood Group SA are demonstrating a variety of woodworking skills this year. If you have some skill and would like to be part of that demonstration team please contact:
Graham Jones, 08 8260 2827 william.jones2@bigpond.com
Or Mike Donnellan, 08 8370 0108 sozscroll@woodgroupsa.org.au
Or Doug Collins, 08 8552 8822 whittling@waitpingacliffs.com

3. There is going to be a professionally run retail store in the woodwork pavilion this year. If you would like to put any of your work up for sale, please contact any of the above three individuals and they will send you the relevant paperwork to enter your pieces. It is important to note that your work must be delivered with the appropriate paperwork, to the Port Elliot Show Grounds… Michael Scott pavilion, south-east entrance, on Friday 9th October, by 5:00 pm at the latest. There will be no entry fee or commission charge. Whatever you price you put on your work will be what you receive if it sells. Any unsold work will need to be picked up on Sunday 11th October AFTER 4:00 pm.

There will also be provision to display work that is NOT for sale. If you have a special piece or two that you would like to share with the rest of the woodwork community we’d love to see it. Delivery conditions for display items are the same as sale items (see above).

4. The Open Woodwork Competition has been expanded this year to include small furniture. There are now 5 categories for entrants to consider. The categories are:
Wood Turning, Wood Carving, Model Making, Small Furniture and ‘Other’ which encompasses any woodworking that does not fit in any of the other 4 categories.
There is also a Junior competition (single category). First prize in each category will be awarded with a $50 gift certificate from Carbatec in Adelaide. Second prize is a $25 gift certificate from Mitre 10 in Port Elliot.

In addition there will be another ‘People’s Choice – Best In Show’ competition this year. What ever piece in the competition gets the most votes from the public on Saturday wins 8 free carving lessons from Ken Vear of SA Woodcarving Academy in St. Peters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPLL9t0Qx6Y

Make sure you get your entry forms in ASAP as entries close mid September. Entry forms and conditions are available in the Show Book or on line soon at https://www.portelliotshow.com.au/exhibits-entry-forms/ or by contacting Doug Collins 8552 8822 whittling@waitpingacliffs.com

It is critical to have your entered items delivered to the south-east entrance of the Michael Scott pavilion between 8:00 am and 12:30 pm on Friday 9th October. The judging commences at this time and any items received once the judging has commenced will be displayed but will be ineligible to compete.

5. General Show Stewards. As you will by now realise, there is going to be a lot of work needing to be done before, during and after the Show. We are going to need guys and gals to assist in making sure that things are set up and ready for the influx of sale, competition and display items. This will include the setting up of tables, power cables, marquees etc. in the two days lead up to the show (9th and 10th October).

We’ll need people to generally watch over things and to be available to either answer or direct questions from the public about various aspects of the Woodwork section of the Show. Remember that the primary reason for this section of the Show is to encourage an interest in woodworking and to promote the clubs and organisations involved in these activities. This is probably the largest single opportunity to promote the clubs that we’ll have in this area this year so we want to take full advantage of it.

Sunday afternoon from 4:00 pm is going to be particularly hectic as all of the competitors will be wanting to collect their work, as will all those with items still unsold or items on display, all at about the same time. To say nothing of the various organisations who will be wanting to pack up their displays. Its going to busy and as Stewards, we will need to be organised and coordinated as a group to get through this efficiently.

Consequently we will probably need to have at least one, perhaps two, meetings of the Stewards in the weeks leading up to the Show to ensure that everyone involved understands what their role is and how we intend to handle the challenges, both as individuals and as a group. If you volunteer as a Steward you will need to make yourself available for these pre-show meetings. In all likelihood this will involve working things out on site at the Port Elliot Show Grounds. I know it’s a lot to ask but its critical to the efficient running of this event.

If you think you would like to be a Steward for any or all of those days (8th to the 11th October) please contact Doug Collins on 8552 8822 or email whittling@waitpingacliffs.com