Woodcraft invites pen turners to support its annual Turn for Troops Turn-a-Thon the weekend of Nov. 5-6.
PARKERSBURG, W.Va., Oct. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Woodcraft needs volunteers to make special pens that will send a message of love and support to active duty members of the military and ones who are recovering from injuries. Pen turning will be done at Woodcraft retail stores during the 19th annual Turn for Troops Turn-a-Thon event on Nov. 5 and 6. Interested volunteers may contact their local Woodcraft store for details.
Volunteers turned 14,703 pens in 2021 to bring the overall 18-year total to 219,970 pens.
"Woodcraft is grateful to the many volunteers who donate their time and talents turning pens to help make this program for military personnel possible," President and CEO Jack Bigger said. "They are a very loyal group, and we count on them for another successful event this year."
Woodcraft retail stores can provide details for participating in turn-a-thon events. A volunteer who has never turned a pen but wants to participate in the turn-a-thon may check with the local Woodcraft store about whether first-time pen turning instructions will be provided the day of the turn-a-thon. Two Woodworking Adventures blogs also include instructions for how to turn pens: "Pen Turning 101" and "A Great Start for Basic Pen Turning."
If no local Woodcraft store is available, the local store is not participating, or attending an in-store turn-a-thon is not a comfortable option, contact Lori Harper at Woodcraft corporate headquarters – 304-865-4107 or [email protected]. She will provide information and instructions for sending finished pens to the corporate office.
A personal connection
Pen makers are encouraged to include notes with their pens. In addition to thanking the military man or woman for their service, notes sometimes include the type of wood used to turn the pen and contact information for the maker.
The Woodcraft store in Seattle, Washington, shared some of these notes written by school children. One student wrote: "Thank you for serving our country. You are the kinda person who makes (us) able to sleep easy at night knowing that you guys are protecting us. Thank you."
In return, some recipients also send thank-you notes, which explain why Woodcraft continued to sponsor this event in the midst of COVID and beyond.
"I don't normally ask for anything, but would I be able to get one of these pens? I am a disabled veteran with almost 8 years active service in the Army. I deployed twice and was injured during my first deployment when a bomb hit my truck. I have had a hard time with depression, and I think having something physical and knowing someone cared enough to make it for people like me may help some."
A Lt. Col., USAF, with the 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron stationed in Germany wrote on behalf of his squadron praising the unique qualities of the pens his group received. "Everywhere I go I see people using them. Thank you for taking the time to make this happen. It really helped boost our team's morale."
A retired Army veteran who works security at a hospital asked for some pens to give out to veterans when he sees them. He later wrote to Woodcraft to report that over four months he had given pens to vets from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard, some who had served in Korea, Vietnam and Iraq/Afghanistan, and all who were happy for the unexpected gift.
Pen distribution
Requests for pens arrive at Woodcraft throughout the year, and Woodcraft personnel at the corporate office check with military contacts routinely about where to send pens. Sometimes stores will suggest where to send pens, and sometimes military personnel will reach out to Woodcraft after reading publicity about the annual event.
More information about Woodcraft is available at the nearest Woodcraft store, at Woodcraft.com or by calling (800) 535-4482. To learn about Woodcraft franchise opportunities, visit woodcraftfranchise.com or email [email protected]. Woodcraft social media sites include: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube.
Media Contact
Lori Harper, Woodcraft Supply, LLC, 304-865-4107, [email protected]
SOURCE Woodcraft Supply, LLC
Share this article