AAW is a nonprofit 501(C)3 organization and membership dues cover only a portion of expenses for our member programs ad services. That's why the AAW relies on the generous support of our member community and others for additional underwriting.
We invite you to help advance our educational mission while supporting the woodturning community and enriching your own woodturning experience. A gift to AAW reflects your support of our mission, your dedication to woodturning, and your investment in the future of the art form. Additionally, your gift will help AAW strengthen communities and enrich lives through its investment in a variety of ongoing charitable initiatives.
AAW is an efficient organization and 100% of your tax-deductible (U.S. residents) donation directly supports woodturning education and service programs for the woodturning community.
We welcome checks payable to "AAW General Fund" (or to the designated fund of your choice) mailed to our office as follows: American Association of Woodturners, 222 Landmark Center, 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN 55102-7704.
The community at ConVal High School is proud of each student that participates in Woodshop and Manufacturing class, but it is especially proud of the tremendous rise these classes have seen in female student enrollment. To date, many of the young women cite a desire to learn woodturning as a reason for enrolling. In fact, last year, one young woman signed up to do an independent study in the wood shop. Her goal was to use math to make something. She ended up turning a segmented bowl with more than 150 pieces. Today, she is attending the University of New Hampshire and studying Chemical Engineering. She credits her time on the lathe and in the wood shop with helping her better understand how things are made, and says her time had a significant impact on why she chose her future career pathway.
“Committing to taking an independent study focusing on woodturning my senior year was the best decision I made in high school. It helped me see the application of math theories learned in other classes. It allowed me to practice a new set of skills, and it really helped me to conceptually think in a whole new way.”
"Girl Scouts is a nation-wide nonprofit whose mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Wood turning provides a wonderful opportunity for all three – courage to try something new, confidence that they can do it, and the character that comes with trying, failing and trying again (or as the wood turners like to call them – design opportunities). Two years ago, Girl Scouts had no organized opportunities for girls to learn and progress with any power tools. With the AAW and the local MN Woodturners chapter, Girl Scouts can now have an avenue to explore wood turning and continue learning if they so wish. In 2018, with the help of the MN Woodturners Association, both Girl Scout adult volunteers and high school age Girl Scouts were able to try turning. Because the adult volunteers enjoyed the turning experience as much as the girls, we realized that if we had equipment for the adults to practice on, we could get more women involved in turning and these women could then help with chapter Girl Scout classes."