Some of you have heard me mention that there's an elementary school down at the end of my street. And in the afternoons when I'm working in my garage shop, and the kids are walking home from school, I often enjoy giving them little tops or magic wands, weed pots, whistles or other little toys that I've turned while puttering at the lathe. (Their parents usually prefer the tops to the whistles.) ;-)   The giving is gratifying, it makes me feel like I've made something more than just sawdust. It also often ends up starting conversations about woodshop, or tree varieties, or other educational topics. And usually both the kids, and I end up happier for the interaction.

Well this month we at SVW have two opportunities for giving to the community at large. As was mentioned in Angela and Mark's demos this month, cancer and other diseases have or will affect all of us at some point. It's nice that we can leverage our hobby into some small measure of comfort for people experiencing tough times.

A wig stand is something that many cancer patients will suddenly find themselves in need of. And they are a relatively simple item to make on a wood lathe. A spindle, a couple of crossgrain discs, shape one like the outside of a bowl and you’ve just refreshed your basic woodturning skills. Drill a couple of tenon holes, and you're ready to practice your polyurethane finishing skills. Of course there are endless opportunities for embellishment if you wish, or just let the natural grain show through. In any case this gift to somebody at a rough time in their life is guaranteed to be appreciated.

Or a Beads of Courage box. With the method Mark demoed, using a pipe as the main body, this again becomes a relatively simple wood turning project. Three rounded boards and a knob are the turned components. Of course you're also welcome to go all out on a fully turned solid wood, segmented, or staved box.  In any case, the gift will enrich a child's life during a time when positivity is needed. It will certainly be appreciated by the parents and family even if the child is too young to fully understand.

So this month's President's challenge is to derive a little extra satisfaction out of our hobby by giving back to the community at large through a donation.  A Wig Stand, a Beads of Courage box, or Pens for the Troops, are not just excuses for turning wood, they are also ways that we at SVW can give to others.

Thank You!

Kevin