What is a Local Chapter of SAW
A Local Chapter is a group of scrollers from your immediate area who share your passion for all things scrolling. Regular meetings give you the opportunity to meet other scrollers in your immediate area and to help each other to improve your scrolling skills. Local Chapters members can help each other as well as help to educate the buying public on what fantastic items can be produced with a scrollsaw.  A Local Chapter can be a subset of an existing woodworking club or it can be a stand alone club of its own.  A common question is "Why join as a Local Chapter of SAW? Couldn't we just form our own club?" The answer to those questions can be found here.

Always Remember
The art of the Scrollsaw is an acquired skill. You must teach yourself through practice and attention to detail. In a Local Chapter, all levels of ability help and support each other. At a Chapter meeting "Show & Tell" table, we are inspired by what others accomplish and rise to the challenge of competition.

Our pride and Chapter spirit is reflected in our Chapter Name and Logo, but most of all in what we, as a group, give back to our communities. This can take the form of promotions at Street/Craft Fairs, Youth Workshops where we can teach the craft of Scrolling, Public demonstrations and Senior Center talks. Finally, enjoy the fellowship of each other as a Chapter of the Scrollsaw Association of the World.

Steps to Organize a Chapter
First read through this material, then fill in the order form and request a SAW Chapter organizing kit. Bring together some of your friends, fellow scrollers and decorative painters. Have an informal get together and talk about the idea of forming a Local chapter. All you need are three or four members to get started. More will come and you'll be surprised what a sign in the local hardware store or in the local lumber yard office will produce. Contact your local paper and ask them to print an article describing your meeting. Remember, WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE. Answer these and you will have your article. Refreshments are nice but not necessary. Have everyone introduce themselves, state your purpose. Pass out applications to SAW and follow the Chapter Organizing Guide you ordered from your SAW representative. Remember be flexible, relax and enjoy yourself

Online Help and Information
The SAW Forums are available to help people forming Local Chapters help each other. You can talk to others who are doing the same or have done it. Share information and help each other.

Local Chapters can also create a web site with free space and bandwidth from SAW. More information on this can be found in the Members Section. The web site will be a sub-domain of www.saw-online.com. Each sub-domain can also have a customized calendar for their group to indicate when their meetings are being held and where, plus any other related activities for their area. In addition, if a Local Chapter wishes to have a part of the SAW Forum dedicated to their group, this is also possible. The SAW Photo Album also gives each Local Chapter the opportunity to set up an album for their Local Chapter as well as their individual members can set up a Photo Album.

Chapter Kit
Your Chapter Kit will contain a sample copy of the By-Laws we recommend you use. Configure it to reflect your Chapter and your members desires. Have the three principal officers sign it and submit a copy to the home-office with your Chapter membership applications, fees, and Charter Request. A Certificate, suitable for framing will be sent and will be renewed each year thereafter on your Chapter anniversary date.

Each member of your Chapter will, as a result of their membership in SAW, receive a copy of the Annual Directory, and a subscription to our Quarterly Newsletter, "SAW Dust". In the newsletter you will find a wealth of information, patterns and in the center section will be discount coupons, which when used, will serve as a discount for you and help our suppliers of products, patterns, book, and services that we need and use in our craft.

Order your Chapter Kit
You may order your Chapter Kit online by logging in to the Member section, fill out the Chapter Kit Request form and submitting the form. We assure you that the information disclosed here will not be sold or distributed to anyone! We respect your privacy and will do our best to ensure that.