2012 ABS Membership Drive

The American Bladesmith Society is conducting a membership drive from April 1st through June 9th. Below is a letter from our ABS President Jim Batson and attached is a Description of the Membership Drive and the Mail-in Membership Application.

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American Bladesmith Society, Inc.

PO Box 160

Grand Rapids, Ohio 43522

March 17, 2012

Dear ABS Member,

I am contacting you as a call to action for our 2012 ABS Membership Drive which will begin in a few weeks. We now have 1, 218 ABS members in 19 countries and on six Continents. All of this has been accomplished without an increase in dues in many years even though the cost of doing business has gone up and the economic situation is poor for everyone. As I have said we are not going to raise dues or decrease the services to our membership.

I am asking for you to participate in an ABS Membership Drive to increase our numbers. If each ABS member would invite a friend to join and if one of four joined then the membership would increase by at least 250 members which would put the ABS back in the black.

The Membership Drive has been set up to provide incentives for obtaining new members. The rewards start with obtaining even one new ABS member with a $10 ABS Store credit and continue to increase by $10 ABS Store credit with every additional new member signed up. There will a Grand Prize awarded to the ABS member that obtains the most new members for the ABS. We are doing this to show our appreciation for your work in supporting this important effort.

The rules and details for this effort which will begin on April 1^st and the mail-in membership application are attached to my letter below and will also be sent to you by email. Please join us in this vital effort to support your American Bladesmith Society.

I appreciate your support. Be kind to yourself and God Bless.

Best regards,

James Batson, President

American Bladesmith Society, Inc.

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2012 ABS Membership Drive

The ABS has been growing at a steady rate and today we have 1,218 members in 19 countries but with increased expenses and our goals in education we need more members to support and increase these programs. Our President James Batson needs your help and has asked for a call to action and established an ABS Membership Drive.

Dr. Batson is asking each ABS member to sign up at least one new member for our organization. You know the benefits that you have received from membership in the ABS and can assist by helping the ABS to grow. Many in this organization exceed expectations every day and it is in this light that we know that some members will work to sign up multiple new members.

To make this effort more interesting and to reward your work there will be an award of $10 in ABS store credit to ABS members for each new member signed up for the American Bladesmith Society. Only regular memberships count for awards in the membership drive and not Associate or Youth memberships. In addition there will be an award of a special Grand Prize to recognize the ABS member signs up the most new members.

Attached is an ABS membership application designed for the membership drive to be completed and mailed with a check in the amount of $60 for each new regular member (Apprentice Smith) signed up to the ABS Office. In the event that the new member signs up or joins Online then either the new member or the ABS member that procured the new membership must notify the ABS by contacting Sally Cassidy at [email protected] or Cindy Sheely at [email protected].

The ABS Membership drive will begin on April 1st and end on June 9th. Only new memberships completed during this time frame will count for the rewards program. The award of store credit will be available after June 25th by contacting Cindy Sheely and placing an order and does not apply to shipping charges.

ABS Membership Drive Mail-in Application.pdf