GRAND OPENING
Northeastern Woodworkers Association unveils Herm Finkbeiner Learning Center
COLONIE, N.Y. >> The Northeastern Woodworkers Association celebrated the grand opening of its new Herm Finkbeiner Learning Center on Tuesday as the organization focuses on future growth.
Members and supporters gathered on Tuesday morning at the new center, which is located at 97 Railroad Ave in the Town of Colonie. The association is leasing this space from the adjacent building materials distributor Erie Materials.
“Redevelopment of this site is a real asset to the Town of Colonie,” said Colonie Town Supervisor Paula Mahan during Tuesday’s ribbon cutting ceremony with the Colonie Chamber of Commerce. “This is a great purpose for this particular building. You’ve got lots of space, it’s easy to get to and obviously you have lots of members, and you have lots of good things going on here and do great things for the community.”
Northeastern Woodworkers Association, founded in 1991, is a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to the advancement of all aspects of the craft of fine woodworking through education, programs and activities, benefiting both men and women of all skill levels.
Each spring the organization hosts the annual Northeastern Woodworkers Association Woodworkers Showcase, a large event that features woodworking exhibits, educational classes and vendors, attracting thousands to Saratoga Springs.
The purpose of the new
Learning Center, named after co-founder Herm Finkbeiner, is to provide a facility equipped with all the necessary modern woodworking equipment where classes are taught by nationally known master craftsmen, and well as talented local and member instructors.
“We were founded in 1991 and for most of our history we didn’t have a central shop location like this,” explained David Mobley, a charter member of the group. In recent years the association did expand to have a shop, but it’s had to move a few times.
The most recent search for a new space brought the group far and wide. “We ended up scouting out over 100 locations around the Capital District,” Mobley said, glad to debut the organization’s new home after several months of renovations.
The center is expected to serve members from all throughout the Capital Region.
“It’s a place for our membership to come together and share knowledge and learn things and get to know each other and develop great friendships,” Mobley said.
Within the Northeastern
Woodworkers Association are special interest groups that focus on particular areas of common interest such as carvers, turners, scrollers, crafters, and hand tools which meet on a regular basis.
In addition to serving the group’s existing members, the association has a current emphasis on recruiting and educating the next generation of young adult woodworkers through planned outreach programs, utilizing new communication technology.
Association leaders are hopeful that the new center will attract new members. “We invite people to come join us and share in the activities that we’ve enjoyed,” Mobley said, noting that they would especially like to reach out to younger adults.
To promote the continuing education of members, an educational fund, named after another cofounder Milan Fiske, was established to offset the costs of educational programs and schools through grant monies raised by members through Northeastern Woodworkers Association fundraising activities.
The skills learned at Northeastern Woodworkers Association are put to use to service the local Capital District community through donations of labor and materials which assist and aid various local charitable organizations. The association has worked on community service projects to benefit nonprofits such as Double H Ranch, the Center for Disability Services and Make-A-Wish.
“We invite people to come in and learn how to enjoy woodworking of all sorts,” said Northeastern Woodworkers Association member John Heimke, a past president who was at the grand opening. Heimke, of Troy, plans to visit the center often to practice turning and other woodworking techniques. One of the community service projects he’s involved with is making pens for U.S. military veterans.
Looking ahead, members of the Northeastern Woodworkers Association are excited to present the 29th annual Woodworkers Showcase, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m on March 28 and 29 at the Saratoga Springs City Center, located at 522 Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs. This year’s show focus is “Women in Woodworking,” featuring nationally known women woodworkers who will give free educational classes and judge the exhibits.
More information about the Northeastern Woodworkers Association and the upcoming Woodworkers Showcase is available online at woodworker.org.