If you are looking for education, hands-on training and networking with other chimney sweeps be sure to attend the 15th Annual Pennsylvania Guild of Professional Chimney Sweeps Charity Workshop. The dates are May 10th, 11th and 12th, 2012. The workshop will be at Camp Anderson in Tyrone, PA. The GPS address is 1057 Van Scoyoc Hollow Rd 16686 Tyrone, PA.

Over these last 14 years, the PA Guild has updated the chimney systems in these types of camps due to the cost involved for them. They all have been non-profit scout and church camps that would have not be able to budget for these extreme renovations that the Guild has completed. Overall, the PA Guild estimates around 20,000 to 25,000 dollars are donated each year in material and labor to each camp. That's around 350,000 dollars to the youth in Pennsylvania!

In addition the PA Guild provides education and training. What better way than to train and provide an updated chimney or appliance to a group that needs it?

If you decide to attend, the PA Guild will feed and house you during your stay. They are planning a pig roast, top burn fire and band Friday night after the quarterly meeting. This camp is located in a remote part of PA. If you have a camper, the camp has room for you. Otherwise there are bunk houses with cots. Or if you choose to stay on your own, there is a nearby Comfort Suites motel in Altoona, 814-942-2600 room rate range is $100-$125 a night. You can also pitch a tent.

Here is the planned projects they will be doing this year: firebox construction; stone pointing; two woodstove installations; class-A chimney installation; smoke chamber restoration; stone fire pit installation and water repellent applications.

Door Prizes will be drawn every three hours during the entire event. You must be on site to win. There will also be a swap meet on Saturday morning so be sure to bring along something to swap or sell that's chimney related price it to sell (yard sale pricing)!

Once again the Guild will offer CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America) and NFI (National Fireplace Institute) CEU's for this workshop. A proctored CSIA exam will be on Thursday night. Please register with the CSIA 30 day's prior. To register, click here.

Another event will be a top burn fire on Friday night. Click here to check the PA Facebook page for these updates (please "like" the page). Or check the PA Guild's website by clicking here.

We will need a RSVP by Mid April. If you would like to help us with door prizes or will be attending, please contact Bill Thornton at 215-540-9787 or email Bill. Please send donations to Ray Johnston 814-943-7893 or email Ray for information.

Plan to attend this educational event. You will have a diversity of priceless hands-on experience and education to learn from. Also plan to bring your employees, office workers and family. Membership in the guild is not required. 

The Virginia Association of Chimney & Hearth Professionals (VACHP) will host an educational workshop on April 12-14. CEUs from the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fireplace Institute (NFI) will be available.

The workshop will include building an outdoor PriorFire Fireplace with a parabolic smoke chamber and a stone facade. This will include three days of hands-on learning (and a little bit of classroom, too) and promises to be a really good seminar. Chris Prior is a well known master mason who is also the inventor of the PriorFire which includes fireplaces, bake ovens and smokers. He has also taught at numerous industry events.

The seminar will be April 12, 13, & 14 starting at 8:00 each day. The hotel where we will meet for registration on the 12th and each morning after that for some classroom time before going to the work site: Comfort Inn 6639 Forest Hill Ave. , Gloucester, VA, US, 23061 Phone: (804) 695-1900 Fax: (804) 695-1901. Mention "Fireplace Workshop" for the group rates.

Please click here to go to the VACHP website. To download the Registration Form to sign up for this event click here.

The Southern Association of Chimney Professionals is having their first 2012 Workshop April 5-6 at Bass Pro Shops in Leed, AL. Lindemann's Josh May will be attending. The SACP Workshop will include indepth 2 day training on gas fireplace systems, valves, remote systems, IPI systems, gas basics, gas appliances, trouble-shooting, profit centers and diversity for your current business.

The featured trainers are Art Sewell from Valor Fireplace Products and Ross Johnson of RH Peterson Gas Logs & Grills. NFI and CSIA CEU Credits are available.

Prices are unbelievable affordable for members at $60 and employees of members at $40. Non-members are $200. The annual SACP membership is $125. The workshop registration includes lunch for both days. To RSVP please contact Mark mark@ashbusters.net or by phone at 615-459-2546 or Johnson Sales Associates aj@johnsonsales.biz or by phone 205-665-0497.