On behalf of the OWAC Board of Directors, I am delighted to announce that our new website is up and running. Our domain name (URL) remains the same OWAC.org and we hope you will take some time to browse through the site.
The site offers a new look and updated styling. Interactivity allows for members to review and change any details of their user profiles. And we now give Professional members the ability to submit stories for publication on our blog page.
We will also publish news and announcements and provide a gateway for our events and awards programs. This process of upgrading our technology has also spurred us on to find digital solutions for managing our programs and this year the 2021 Excellence in Craft Awards (EIC) will be run on an all-digital platform
The contest will open for entries on Monday, March 1st and all the information on how to enter will be published right here on our Awards page. Lookout for the call-for-entries newsletter to follow very soon.
We’ve been working on this upgrade for many months and it has been a long and sometimes arduous process. There are still a few of areas that are not fully functional and it’s very likely that we will all encounter a few glitches here and there. Please bear with us.
Here are a few notes regarding membership. Your member profile has already been entered into our new member database with the information we had on file for you. Lapsed members, non-members, and newsletter subscribers will not have access to any member-only restricted content.
A gallery of our current members-in-good-standing is displayed on the Members page here. Please take a look for your name and login to complete your membership account profile. Click the login button at the top of the page. You will be directed to a login page where you can click the ‘Forgot Password’ link and reset your password. The email address associated with your profile is the one at which you receive your bi-monthly newsletter.
After you have reset your password you can login and update all your profile information as needed. Note that your username (which should be your first and last name) cannot be changed.
We encourage all our past members to renew their membership by writing to us at [email protected] to renew. We are still working on an automated renewal process, but will be happy to help you get your membership restarted.
Non-members are encouraged to apply for professional membership on our Join Us page. Click on the APPLY button in the Professional Member category to complete the form and submit the application. REMEMBER, the EIC Awards program is only open to OWAC members and we will make every effort to expedite the member application process in time for the contest’s opening day on March 1.
This project and the associated technology advancements that we are making as an organization have been a labor of love for me, Gigi. I consider myself, first and foremost, to be a writer – which is why I joined OWAC. I am also a designer with a passion for technology. I truly believe that our organization needed to update and utilize the digital tools that are now so widely used and available to better serve our members and grow our membership base.
The organization operates as a non-profit and most of the work we do is done by our board members and other volunteers from within our membership. We strive to achieve a high level of professionalism and therefore it seemed logical to make use of automation through technology. However, many things still need to be done manually and so we rely on volunteers as well as patience as we enter our new digital era.
Please be patient as we continue to develop this site, introduce and improve the interactivity, and create a dynamic and evolving platform that will both promote our organization and serve our members.
Let’s build this together! Members are encouraged to browse the site and make notes about problems, errors, concerns, and ideas. Please send your comments to [email protected] or use the link in the site footer or on our About Us page to send a message.
Please know that this is a complex site and there is still much more to be done. Constructive criticism is welcomed and personal preferences are valued, but might not be accommodated.
Thank you.
