Membership in The Villages Woodworkers Club is a recreational privilege of residents* of The Villages, Florida who have completed the necessary information form, paid the applicable fees (see below, Membership Fees), and made arrangements to share in the support program of the Club and Woodshop.
You MUST obtain a membership application from the front desk at either Wood Shop and present the completed application in person to the either the Rolling Acres Woodshop located at 704 Oak Street, The Villages FL 32159, on the corner of Oak Street and Rolling Acres Road (see Map) or the Brownwood Shop at 3601 Buena Vista Blvd. during normal shop operating hours of 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M.
(* Resident - a person who has met the residency qualifications of The Villages as evidenced by having been issued a current official Identification Card by The Villages Community Development District, and having it in their possession.)
Membership Requirements
The Villages Woodworkers Club and its facilities, The Villages Woodshops, are unique among The Villages clubs and activity associations. While the woodshop buildings are owned by The Villages Community Development District (VCDD), every aspect of their operation is the responsibility of the VWC. The Club buys and maintains the equipment, maintains the interior of the buildings, and is responsible for every aspect of management of the activities that take place in the woodshops. The VCDD maintains the exterior and grounds and pays the expense of electricity for the shop use, but they do not supply the personnel or funds for the VWC to run its unique program. With this in mind, the basic requirements for membership are:
- Be a resident* of The Villages
- Pay a one time initiation fee (see below)
- Pay annual dues
- Complete a Certification/orientation class
- Participate in the work of maintaining the Club and Woodshop (serve as monitor 12 hours per year) or other Board approved function.
2023 Membership Fee
One Time Wood Shop Fee:
The one-time (as long as you maintain your membership) Wood Shop fee is applied to the wood shop capital acquisition and improvement fund. This fund is used to purchase new equipment or upgrade current equipment with new features.
- Member ............................ $200.00
- Household ... (two members in the same household). . . contact us
Annual Dues: $90.00
The annual dues are applied to the on-going operations of the Wood Shops including provision of consumables (glue, sandpaper, etc.), maintenance of equipment and the building interiors, and procurement of new hand and small tools. Exterior facility maintenance is provided by the VCDD as part of the long-term tenant agreement between the VCDD and The Villages Woodworker's Club.
Certification Class
Members are required to attend a certification class that is intended primarily to enforce your knowledge of the various machinery available in the wood shop, familiarize you with the safe operation of each major piece of equipment, and to give you a thorough overview of the woodworking facility. Certification classes are held at scheduled times throughout the calendar year. You will be provided with the current schedule at the time you join the club.
Service requirement
In addition all members are required to serve as either a Monitor or Tool Crib Operator for a total of 12 hours per calendar year. Each session of Monitor/Tool Crib consists of four (4) continuous hours (a "shift"), either in the morning or afternoon. These sessions will be scheduled at the time you pay your dues. A refresher class is required every third year.
Important General requirement
Because it is s a Club, the life of the organization depends solely on its members and their active degree of involvement in the management and governance. It is hoped - even expected - that the member will take an active interest in the Club and do all they can to help it function productively. It is hoped that you will take it upon yourself to improve your knowledge and skill at woodworking regardless of your entry skills. Basically, you must have a willingness to be involved.