Community Service
The MWA community service programs enable members to participate as a group using their skills and knowledge in making hand crafted items. These programs strengthen the chapter connections to other communities in a meaningful way.
Wig Stands
WIG Stands is a national American Association of Woodturners (AAW) Women in Turning initiative. “Our goal is to give back to our communities in this worthwhile effort, especially since cancer has likely impacted each of us, our family, and/or our friends.” MWA is partnering with local/regional groups who provide free wigs for distribution of the wig stands to get them to recipients in need.
Our partners are overjoyed with receipt of your hand-crafted wig stands, but the need is growing. Kits and spindles are available to jump start your wig stand crafting.
It’s not how much we give, but how much care we put into giving!
AAW article on Hat and Wig Stands
Here are the two organizations to which MWA donates stands:
Beads of Courage
Beads of Courage is a national Arts in Medicine Program for children coping with serious illness, their families, and the clinicians who care for them. Artists make glass beads that are given to children to signify each procedure or event. Since the program began in 2006 Minnesota Woodturners have provided thousands of commemorative lidded boxes, hundreds of bead bags and hundreds of toys to children undergoing treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses.
Empty Bowls
Empty Bowls is an international effort to raise money for charities that care for the hungry and homeless in local communities. Artists donate hand-crafted bowls. Local restaurants donate soups, breads, and desserts. Community members make a suggested donation for a hearty meal and bowl they can take home and treasure. The Empty Bowls event sponsors divide the funds raised among community nonprofits.
For 2027, MWA has set a goal to donate 100 food-safe bowls to two Empty Bowls events in Minneapolis. If this effort goes well, MWA will expand their efforts and donate bowls to other Empty Bowls events.
2025 AAW International Symposium Empty Bowls
As chapter host for the 2025 AAW International Symposium, MWA partnered with Fireweed Community Woodshop for the AAW Empty Bowls community service project. The MWA turned and donated bowls in honor Karl Foord, an avid woodturner and MWA member, who set a life goal of turning 500 bowls. Karl completed 370 bowls before he passed, an impressive feat. The MWA and others met and exceeded Karl’s goal by creating over 130 bowls and raising $6,000 to help Fireweed further their mission of empowering women and marginalized genders through the art of woodcraft.