Membership in the Florida West Coast Bead Society is $25.00 annually. Our membership year runs from September 1st through August 31st. After March 1st, we offer a pro-rated membership for $15.00, which is good through August 31st. If you attend your first meeting or wish to join in July or August, you can sign up for the upcoming membership year at $25.00 and receive the remainder of July and August as a bonus. You can print out your membership form and bring it with your payment to the next meeting, or mail it to the Membership Chair at the address on the form. You may also purchase your membership online.
To join or renew your 2023-24 Membership online, click anywhere on the image below, which will take you to the “Add to Cart” page.
If you would like to download the membership form to print out and mail in with your check click below:
Membership includes:
Monthly meetings: We present a beading project for you to learn or a special program for you to enjoy each month, not to mention the great camaraderie and shared expertise of your fellow beading enthusiasts.
Workshops: Priority registration and reduced fees to attend our annual and other in-person and Zoom workshops with well known national and Florida beading instructors. Workshops are different each year and instructors generally offer two to three or more different projects, some of which may be specially designed for us.
Trunk Sales: We occasionally offer special trunk sales of crystals, beads and other beading supplies for our members. These may be held starting several hours prior to a regularly scheduled monthly meeting, or we may, from time to time, hold it at a different time and place.
Discount at local bead stores: If you show your current membership card at some of our local bead stores, you may be eligible for a 10% discount on purchases. See our current list of local/near area bead stores here.
Participation in our service projects: Jewelry and other items are made and donated to the gift shop at Sarasota Memorial Hospital; 100% of the proceeds then go to the Oncology Unit for patient care items. We also make a few small items that are given to patients in the Oncology Unit. Another service project is making jewelry and other items for The Pines of Sarasota thrift shops; all of the proceeds go to support the residents. We also do beading projects with residents of The Pines several times a year. We do monthly beading projects with youngsters at the YMCA children's shelter. We provide donations of beads and findings to Florida Association of Teaching Artists to use in their art programs. Go to the "Service Project" tab for more details.