Popular Woodworking 2007-02 № 160, страница 62

The gift of a handwritten letter shows appreciation for Canadian forces.

About two years ago I was selling some of my woodworking and pens at a craft show. After the show, I had several pens left and remembered reading about a project started by Keith Outten, wood forum host for Sawmill Creek (sawmill-creek.com) called Freedom Pens (freedompens.org), which sends handcrafted pens to American servicemen and women who serve in dangerous areas of the world.

I was inspired by the project

and I spoke with Outten about how he was able to organize his project and establish public support. I sent Freedom Pens a few of my remaining pens and included a handwritten letter with each one. It's then when the gears started to turn for me; I began to won-

der how I could start something similar for the Canadian Armed Forces. I wanted a project that said thank you to the men and women of the Canadian Forces, one person at a time. I know that we seldom celebrate what our Canadian soldiers do, and that Canadians

by Jim Shaver

Jim is a l3th'generation Canadian (and yes, he plays hockey). A self-taught woodworker, he now demonstrates woodworking at a Lee Valley store and for his woodworking clubs. He's a founding member of the Halton Furniture Makers Society and has recently been named a forum host at woodcentral.com.

are a patriotic people, but we don't usually show it in an outward fashion. I want to change that.

I soon found just the right person to help with the project: Shirley Penny of the Canadian Armed Forces.

A Gift of a Letter

I made 12 pens and sent them to Shirley, who sent them to the peacekeeping forces located in Afghanistan, in December 2004. Within a few weeks I was receiving letters and e-mails from the recipients. It was a very moving moment when the first one came in, and it affirmed the idea that I needed to develop and engage other people in the project. It also became clear

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Popular Woodworking February 2007