I love being a chimney sweep because...
VIDEO CONTEST
Watch the contest intro from Mark McSweeney, NCSG's Executive Director.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3DJ4zTaP68
Stereotypes about chimney sweeps abound and videos found on YouTube aren't helping. Sure it's cute to think of sweeps as guys who sing and dance on rooftops, but we know that there's so much more to being a chimney sweep than clever choreography.
OUR CHALLENGE
Break the stereotype of the Disney-esque chimney sweep.
THE FIRST STEP
Create a video completing the statement: "I love being a chimney sweep because..."
THE GENERAL GUIDELINES
1. Entrants must own or be employed by an NCSG member company.
2. Videos should be no longer than 1 minute in length.
3. Entries must close with the NCSG trademark and URL(www.NCSG.org).
THE OFFICIAL RULES
By submitting video, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the official contest rules found here.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Send your video (.wmv, .avi, .mov or .mpg only) with title, your name and company name via email to mheeke@ncsg.org by the end of day September 30, 2008 with "NCSG Video Contest" in the subject line.
WHAT'S ON THE LINE
Winners will have their videos posted on the NCSG website and will be announced in the October issue of eNewslink. Of course, the winners also receive bragging rights and the knowledge that they're making a difference in the way chimney sweeps are viewed today.
Grand prize
One year NCSG membership, NCSG Innovation 2009 convention registration (Winston-Salem 2009), "Best Picture 2008" trophy and accolades online at www.NCSG.org
1st Runner Up
NCSG Innovation 2009 convention registration (Winston-Salem 2009), mention in Sweeping and accolades online at www.NCSG.org
Honorable Mention
Mention in Sweeping and accolades online at www.NCSG.org
QUESTIONS?
Please contact Melissa Heeke, NCSG Director of Communications & Marketing at mheeke@ncsg.org
YouTube is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
MA State Position on Chimney Inspection?
http://www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs/dfs/osfm/pubed/flyers/hhs_oct07_trifold.pdf
The above flyer put out by the state talks about having an annual inspection of the chimney flue by a "qualified mason" and having the chimney cleaned. It never mentions chimney sweeps or CSIA or any other certification.
I researched this after reading this article in the Metrowest Daily News. Which although mentions chimney sweeps as workers who can be found through word of mouth and should be associated with a national trade association, never mentions certification. Also it says that the state plans to make a list of masons available online so homeowners can contact them for chimney inspections.
I think it might be important in the near future to revisit the guilds Power Point presentation and start taking it out to Fire Departments, Home Inspectors, Realtors, and Town Building Inspectors.
CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps are educated and tested on different levels of chimney inspection. They see, daily, the condition of chimney flues after use. This makes them uniquely qualified to perform chimney inspections.
I'd like the BOD to consider appointing an Outreach Committee to contact, visit and educate the above mentioned professionals. Perhaps even a brochure mailing to Fire Cheifs and Building Inspectors with an invitation to meet with a Guild representative could be an immediate step to start the process.
Just like with advertising in our businesses, if we stop our outreach education people will forget who we are and what we do.
Stacie Shippey
Newsletter Editor
Cherry Valley Chimney Sweep - Leicester
The above flyer put out by the state talks about having an annual inspection of the chimney flue by a "qualified mason" and having the chimney cleaned. It never mentions chimney sweeps or CSIA or any other certification.
I researched this after reading this article in the Metrowest Daily News. Which although mentions chimney sweeps as workers who can be found through word of mouth and should be associated with a national trade association, never mentions certification. Also it says that the state plans to make a list of masons available online so homeowners can contact them for chimney inspections.
I think it might be important in the near future to revisit the guilds Power Point presentation and start taking it out to Fire Departments, Home Inspectors, Realtors, and Town Building Inspectors.
CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps are educated and tested on different levels of chimney inspection. They see, daily, the condition of chimney flues after use. This makes them uniquely qualified to perform chimney inspections.
I'd like the BOD to consider appointing an Outreach Committee to contact, visit and educate the above mentioned professionals. Perhaps even a brochure mailing to Fire Cheifs and Building Inspectors with an invitation to meet with a Guild representative could be an immediate step to start the process.
Just like with advertising in our businesses, if we stop our outreach education people will forget who we are and what we do.
Stacie Shippey
Newsletter Editor
Cherry Valley Chimney Sweep - Leicester
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Regarding the Future of the MCSG
To all MCSG members:
Below you will find an email sent through the Chimney Forum a few days ago, indicating the disbanding of the Southern Chimney Sweep Assoc. The reasons noted where due to economic conditions as well as the lack of participation from sweeps at conventions and workshops.
The reason I am bringing this to your attention is that although we have a substantial amount of money in our treasury and at our disposal to provide many benefits to our membership, due to the lack of participation of members to be on the Board, an Officer, or even to help out with the Holiday Party or the Summer Picnic, I'm afraid that one day we will be sending out the same email to our fellow sweeps on the east coast.
It was just on Wednesday that the Guild sponsored a Thermocrete and Smoktite seminar of which there were only 5 persons in paid attendance and one of them was my husband Dan and another Board member.
Prior to that, we had a fair, but not a very good showing of members to the NH Sweep Fest (mainly due to the fact the the SootPrints played and they are all MA sweeps), where I incorporated our annual membership meeting.
We've hosted seminars on disability and accidental insurance, an OSHA safety course, a web site seminar and one on drafting issues as well. The people who give these seminars give of their time as well, for the Guild, in order to provide us with information and education.
Attendance at other general membership meetings (other that the Holiday Party) are again fair at best. I continually hear "what does the Guild do for me?" when we asked you to renewal your dues each year. Well, as far as I'm concerned the old saying "you get what you give" applies to this organization just like any other. We have two openings on the Board of Directors despite recent elections. Will no one in our Guild give of their time to see that I don't have to send out the email below??
I know that we all have our own businesses to run and lives to lead, but so do I and the others who have in the past served as your Officers and Board members. We have all taken our positions very seriously in order for our Guild to be a successful and respected organization.
Starting at the next general membership meeting scheduled for September 15th, nominations will be opened for President, Treasurer, and 3 or 4 Board seats. Nominations will be taken again at the Holiday Party meeting and then only once more at the March 2009 meeting. I have served two terms and was appointed to a one year interim term which means I've served as President for 5 years. This is not the only time that has happened as well and I would like to see that it doesn't happen again. I will not lie, this has not been an easy job at times, but I take great pride in what we accomplish as a Board and sincerely appreciate all the hard work done with all of them.
That being said, I would again at this time like to ask that you ask yourself if you could possibly give a few hours of your time every 60 or 90 days to help this Guild stay strong. We are in the process of developing some really intense seminars, however I am afraid that the Guild will be wasting its time and resources if no one attends what we have to offer. If you haven't seen us offer anything you'd like to see, then as we've said in previous newsletters, let us know. We are here for you, but if you don't communicate with the Board then we can't help you.
We'd also like to see our membership increase. Dan has sent out renewals for 2008/2009. Take the time to fill it out in full and return it as soon as possible. Also, look in your local phone book. Find a sweep in your area that you know is not a member and see if you can't get them to join. The Guild is going to sponsor a membership drive where for every member you get to join you get a credit towards your next membership. (The amount has yet to be determined).
This would benefit the Guild with "new blood", and you as well.
Again, the next General Membership meeting will be held on September 17th, and as usual we are currently trying to incorporate some type of seminar to the meeting to make it worth the trip. So please, look at your calendars before you get too busy, cross out the 17th and please plan on attending. A notice of where the meeting will be help will be out soon. Please open all mail sent from the Guild in a timely fashion so you don't miss out on what we have to offer.
Sincerely,
Jeanmarie Jacobson, President
Duxbury Chimney Sweep and
Mass. Chimney Sweep Guild
Below you will find an email sent through the Chimney Forum a few days ago, indicating the disbanding of the Southern Chimney Sweep Assoc. The reasons noted where due to economic conditions as well as the lack of participation from sweeps at conventions and workshops.
The reason I am bringing this to your attention is that although we have a substantial amount of money in our treasury and at our disposal to provide many benefits to our membership, due to the lack of participation of members to be on the Board, an Officer, or even to help out with the Holiday Party or the Summer Picnic, I'm afraid that one day we will be sending out the same email to our fellow sweeps on the east coast.
It was just on Wednesday that the Guild sponsored a Thermocrete and Smoktite seminar of which there were only 5 persons in paid attendance and one of them was my husband Dan and another Board member.
Prior to that, we had a fair, but not a very good showing of members to the NH Sweep Fest (mainly due to the fact the the SootPrints played and they are all MA sweeps), where I incorporated our annual membership meeting.
We've hosted seminars on disability and accidental insurance, an OSHA safety course, a web site seminar and one on drafting issues as well. The people who give these seminars give of their time as well, for the Guild, in order to provide us with information and education.
Attendance at other general membership meetings (other that the Holiday Party) are again fair at best. I continually hear "what does the Guild do for me?" when we asked you to renewal your dues each year. Well, as far as I'm concerned the old saying "you get what you give" applies to this organization just like any other. We have two openings on the Board of Directors despite recent elections. Will no one in our Guild give of their time to see that I don't have to send out the email below??
I know that we all have our own businesses to run and lives to lead, but so do I and the others who have in the past served as your Officers and Board members. We have all taken our positions very seriously in order for our Guild to be a successful and respected organization.
Starting at the next general membership meeting scheduled for September 15th, nominations will be opened for President, Treasurer, and 3 or 4 Board seats. Nominations will be taken again at the Holiday Party meeting and then only once more at the March 2009 meeting. I have served two terms and was appointed to a one year interim term which means I've served as President for 5 years. This is not the only time that has happened as well and I would like to see that it doesn't happen again. I will not lie, this has not been an easy job at times, but I take great pride in what we accomplish as a Board and sincerely appreciate all the hard work done with all of them.
That being said, I would again at this time like to ask that you ask yourself if you could possibly give a few hours of your time every 60 or 90 days to help this Guild stay strong. We are in the process of developing some really intense seminars, however I am afraid that the Guild will be wasting its time and resources if no one attends what we have to offer. If you haven't seen us offer anything you'd like to see, then as we've said in previous newsletters, let us know. We are here for you, but if you don't communicate with the Board then we can't help you.
We'd also like to see our membership increase. Dan has sent out renewals for 2008/2009. Take the time to fill it out in full and return it as soon as possible. Also, look in your local phone book. Find a sweep in your area that you know is not a member and see if you can't get them to join. The Guild is going to sponsor a membership drive where for every member you get to join you get a credit towards your next membership. (The amount has yet to be determined).
This would benefit the Guild with "new blood", and you as well.
Again, the next General Membership meeting will be held on September 17th, and as usual we are currently trying to incorporate some type of seminar to the meeting to make it worth the trip. So please, look at your calendars before you get too busy, cross out the 17th and please plan on attending. A notice of where the meeting will be help will be out soon. Please open all mail sent from the Guild in a timely fashion so you don't miss out on what we have to offer.
Sincerely,
Jeanmarie Jacobson, President
Duxbury Chimney Sweep and
Mass. Chimney Sweep Guild
Southern Chimney Sweep Assoc. Disbands
The Southern Chimney Sweep Association wants to say thank you and goodbye to all the volunteers, instructors and suppliers that have helped us to educate sweeps and supported us over the last 15 years. We are calling it quits due to the ever changing economic conditions of our country and region, along with the lack of participation from sweeps at our last three conventions and our recent workshop.
We want to thank all of our founding members who saw the need to from a group to educate the sweeps of the Southeastern United States. This group started out as the Southeast Chimney Convention & Trade Show, with committee members from North & South Carolina, Florida and Georgia. Then the group saw the need to have a more formal group with structure and changed its name to the Southeastern Chimney Sweep Association and adding the Southern Association of Chimney Professionals (SACP) and Virginia to it's group.Then finally becoming a legal corporation under the name of the Southern Chimney Sweep Association with its member states being Florida, Georgia, Virginia and the SACP.
We would like to thank the past Committee Chairman of this fine organization for their years in serving as its chairman, Jerry Isenhour (1) NC, Mark Hudson (5) FL, Kevin Cowan (1) SC, Blume (1) SC, Jay Walker (1) FL, Ken Craig (1) SCAP, George Anderson (2) VA.We would also like to thank all of the past committee members who also served on this committee during it existence , Tom Stave(GA), Tom Doty (FL), Mike Wilcox (GA), Chris Holland (GA), Rob Meehan (FL), Wayne Van Houdt (VA), Jim Bostaph (VA), Roger Westerman (SACP),Mark Stoner (SACP),Cleveland Pope (SACP), Jim Robinson (SACP), Mike & Karren Duke (VA), Donny Rogan (VA), Roy & Gay Murry (NC), Bob Priesing (NC), Ron and Renne Brigman (SC), Paul & Connie Anderson (SC), Ron Rust (SC), Jay Walker (FL), Jeff Curry (FL), Phillip Martin (GA), John Su Song (GA), Dave Gallici (FL), Herb Fulmer (SC), Lucky Dale Meisinger (SC), Joe Honea (SC), Larry & Meola Snyder (SC), Steve Actman (GA), Benny Thompson (NC), Tom Albert (NC), Jeff Barger (NC),Curtis Daniel (GA), John Storch (VA), Barry Belyeu (GA), Matt Coggins (NC), Dennis Dobbs (SACP), Jim Johnson (FL), Craig Nelson (GA), Roger Whitman (NC), Jeff Jones (NC), John Handler (NC), Len Boucher (GA), Peggy Florentz (VA), we apologize if we have missed anyone.
We would also like to thank the following Supplier members that served on the committee, Bob McQuary, Cathy Rocque, Jeff Wiles, Gary Chambers and Robert Hutta.
The committee wants to encourage all sweeps to become members of NCSG and their state guilds or associations and to attend their educational opportunities. Remember education isn't cheap and can't be justified without the participation of the sweeps.
Thanks to everyone whoever attended a SCSA Convention or workshop.
Sweeps Luck to All,
Mark Hudson
We want to thank all of our founding members who saw the need to from a group to educate the sweeps of the Southeastern United States. This group started out as the Southeast Chimney Convention & Trade Show, with committee members from North & South Carolina, Florida and Georgia. Then the group saw the need to have a more formal group with structure and changed its name to the Southeastern Chimney Sweep Association and adding the Southern Association of Chimney Professionals (SACP) and Virginia to it's group.Then finally becoming a legal corporation under the name of the Southern Chimney Sweep Association with its member states being Florida, Georgia, Virginia and the SACP.
We would like to thank the past Committee Chairman of this fine organization for their years in serving as its chairman, Jerry Isenhour (1) NC, Mark Hudson (5) FL, Kevin Cowan (1) SC, Blume (1) SC, Jay Walker (1) FL, Ken Craig (1) SCAP, George Anderson (2) VA.We would also like to thank all of the past committee members who also served on this committee during it existence , Tom Stave(GA), Tom Doty (FL), Mike Wilcox (GA), Chris Holland (GA), Rob Meehan (FL), Wayne Van Houdt (VA), Jim Bostaph (VA), Roger Westerman (SACP),Mark Stoner (SACP),Cleveland Pope (SACP), Jim Robinson (SACP), Mike & Karren Duke (VA), Donny Rogan (VA), Roy & Gay Murry (NC), Bob Priesing (NC), Ron and Renne Brigman (SC), Paul & Connie Anderson (SC), Ron Rust (SC), Jay Walker (FL), Jeff Curry (FL), Phillip Martin (GA), John Su Song (GA), Dave Gallici (FL), Herb Fulmer (SC), Lucky Dale Meisinger (SC), Joe Honea (SC), Larry & Meola Snyder (SC), Steve Actman (GA), Benny Thompson (NC), Tom Albert (NC), Jeff Barger (NC),Curtis Daniel (GA), John Storch (VA), Barry Belyeu (GA), Matt Coggins (NC), Dennis Dobbs (SACP), Jim Johnson (FL), Craig Nelson (GA), Roger Whitman (NC), Jeff Jones (NC), John Handler (NC), Len Boucher (GA), Peggy Florentz (VA), we apologize if we have missed anyone.
We would also like to thank the following Supplier members that served on the committee, Bob McQuary, Cathy Rocque, Jeff Wiles, Gary Chambers and Robert Hutta.
The committee wants to encourage all sweeps to become members of NCSG and their state guilds or associations and to attend their educational opportunities. Remember education isn't cheap and can't be justified without the participation of the sweeps.
Thanks to everyone whoever attended a SCSA Convention or workshop.
Sweeps Luck to All,
Mark Hudson
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
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