Long but worthy post!
Many of you have seen posts by "frankson" mentioning an award winning program in Wilmington called Kids Making It. Read this thread and then check out their website www.kidsmakingit.org. Over the months I've had contact with Jeff (aka frankson) who is a volunteer and also the director of the program, Jimmy Pierce. KMI is a wonderfully conceived program that empowers "at risk kids" by teaching them woodworking skills. Again, for a fuller explanation of what KMI does, please check the website. However, Jimmy and Jeff and gave me permission to quote a couple of their emails. I'm truly impressed by their energy and enthusiasm.
A few snippets include:
Jimmy Pierce here, with the KMI program in Wilmington. Jeff told me today that you were down last weekend and missed us. . . I dearly wish we could be open on weekends, but for now that is a hit or miss thing - my afterschool classes end 6 - 6:30, and I always have a crowd of kids I'm taking home in my truck, so not home till later. . . Although I put in a lot of hours, and always feel like I'm playing catch up on every aspect of what we're trying to do (the woodworking, shop renovations work, fundraising, pr work, etc.), I absolutely love what I do, and hope I can somehow keep it going for as long as I can see. I'll start tomorrow morning with a 9-12 class with a group of 16-24 year old high-school dropouts who are learning home construction skills (we're taking them through an intro tutorial of our basic woodworking shop tools, and they're building Adirondack chairs for themselves to practice their tool skills, gain confidence, self-esteem, etc.). . . They will start building a house in February. (As a sad aside, one of the young men who was scheduled to start with me yesterday, 21 years old, was shot dead by another guy over the weekend. This is the kind of life we're trying to help these kids to move away from.) After a quick sandwich at noon, I'll start another class with a group of teenagers from our Juvenile Day Treatment Center (kids who are youth offenders, or long-term school suspended). After a bit of a break, I'll start up again at 4:00 with my afterschool class, of kids drawn from our 'housing project' neighborhoods, section 8 housing, and families with issues of domestic violence or substance abuse. Home by 7 or so - these are full days, but it's very fullfilling. . . We've been scrambling to get our holiday orders out the door - too many projects promised for too many people, + a last minute donation of one of our go-carts to a Katrina family here.
Wanting to make a contribution to KMI I asked Jimmy and Jeff what they needed and offered to post it, hoping that some NCWoodworkers (including commercial) would be willing to help.
Responses from Jimmy and Jeff:
Our most immediate need is for a better table saw. The Juvenile Day Treatment Program was all set to get us a unisaw last year, but their funding fell through. I wrote a grant for a local foundation and got about $1000 for equipment, which we plan to use for a better saw (we have the smallest, cheapest Delta out there). I've been working on the local Delta rep for over a year, and we finally have a deal to get a stripped down, no-fence unisaw for our $1000. Our local tool store (Tools Plus) is willing to kick in a bisemeyer fence they have laying around. All would seem well, except that SawStop now has their saw on the market, and we think that we would be remiss not to get that saw instead. . . My friend who teaches construction skills to the inmates at our local prison tells me he's had 4 or 5 table saw accidents in the 9 years he's been there - they have a Sawstop saw ordered - and he assures me (accurately, I expect) that it's only a matter of time before it could happen to us. For three reasons - first and foremost, the potential injury to one of our kids, and the fact that we could practically eliminate the danger with the Sawstop saw; the liability exposure of having the sawstop on the market and not having it in the shop (we carry a million in coverage, but nonetheless), and the bad PR that would result if one our kids were to get hurt - it seems a no-brainer to go for the Sawstop. So, over a month ago I wrote to the Sawstop people, sent a package full of photos, our brochure, our national and regional awards, press coverage, etc. - and asking if they could help us with a saw, - but no response so far. I'm about ready to call them and make a pitch over the phone. Their saw is $2700 - a very expensive saw, but a small price to pay for peace of mind, etc. - and a one time expense for sure.
Other than that, we also need dust collection. We wrote and got another small grant for dust collection, but haven't bought anything yet. We have a small collector for our sanding room, but nothing for our main shop (tablesaw, jointer, slide compound miter saw, bandsaw, lathe, router table), and need to figure out what we should get, and what piping, hoods, etc. we need.
And, we can always use wood. We buy most everything retail from Lowes, and HD, and beg for hardwood scraps for the lathe. Speaking of the lathe, we could use another (the kids love the lathe - we just sold our first bowl today made by a girl out of the 'projects' - she was happy!)
The other area I thought of for possible help will be in our re-designed and enlarged RETAIL space. . .for background: a couple of months ago, with the assistance of additional volunteers, we took on Jimmy's vision for a total re-design of our space into separate areas for;
-tool shop,
-sanding/planing room,
-finishing/painting room,
-office and
-enlarged RETAIL space.
We've completed most of the physical re-design except for the re-location of our office space and the enlargement of our RETAIL space. Once the walls are up, we'll tackle plans to make the RETAIL space more functional in layout and appealing to shoppers. This will afford our KIDS the chance to further develop their entrepreneurial and people skills.
OK, anyone besides me want to help? I'll start by putting a $100 check in the mail. The donation form can be printed from website. I will also be happy to deliver anything that will fit in my pickup. 'Course, visiting Wilmington is always fun and only takes about two hours from RTP!
Why Not?
Sapwood
Many of you have seen posts by "frankson" mentioning an award winning program in Wilmington called Kids Making It. Read this thread and then check out their website www.kidsmakingit.org. Over the months I've had contact with Jeff (aka frankson) who is a volunteer and also the director of the program, Jimmy Pierce. KMI is a wonderfully conceived program that empowers "at risk kids" by teaching them woodworking skills. Again, for a fuller explanation of what KMI does, please check the website. However, Jimmy and Jeff and gave me permission to quote a couple of their emails. I'm truly impressed by their energy and enthusiasm.
A few snippets include:
Jimmy Pierce here, with the KMI program in Wilmington. Jeff told me today that you were down last weekend and missed us. . . I dearly wish we could be open on weekends, but for now that is a hit or miss thing - my afterschool classes end 6 - 6:30, and I always have a crowd of kids I'm taking home in my truck, so not home till later. . . Although I put in a lot of hours, and always feel like I'm playing catch up on every aspect of what we're trying to do (the woodworking, shop renovations work, fundraising, pr work, etc.), I absolutely love what I do, and hope I can somehow keep it going for as long as I can see. I'll start tomorrow morning with a 9-12 class with a group of 16-24 year old high-school dropouts who are learning home construction skills (we're taking them through an intro tutorial of our basic woodworking shop tools, and they're building Adirondack chairs for themselves to practice their tool skills, gain confidence, self-esteem, etc.). . . They will start building a house in February. (As a sad aside, one of the young men who was scheduled to start with me yesterday, 21 years old, was shot dead by another guy over the weekend. This is the kind of life we're trying to help these kids to move away from.) After a quick sandwich at noon, I'll start another class with a group of teenagers from our Juvenile Day Treatment Center (kids who are youth offenders, or long-term school suspended). After a bit of a break, I'll start up again at 4:00 with my afterschool class, of kids drawn from our 'housing project' neighborhoods, section 8 housing, and families with issues of domestic violence or substance abuse. Home by 7 or so - these are full days, but it's very fullfilling. . . We've been scrambling to get our holiday orders out the door - too many projects promised for too many people, + a last minute donation of one of our go-carts to a Katrina family here.
Wanting to make a contribution to KMI I asked Jimmy and Jeff what they needed and offered to post it, hoping that some NCWoodworkers (including commercial) would be willing to help.
Responses from Jimmy and Jeff:
Our most immediate need is for a better table saw. The Juvenile Day Treatment Program was all set to get us a unisaw last year, but their funding fell through. I wrote a grant for a local foundation and got about $1000 for equipment, which we plan to use for a better saw (we have the smallest, cheapest Delta out there). I've been working on the local Delta rep for over a year, and we finally have a deal to get a stripped down, no-fence unisaw for our $1000. Our local tool store (Tools Plus) is willing to kick in a bisemeyer fence they have laying around. All would seem well, except that SawStop now has their saw on the market, and we think that we would be remiss not to get that saw instead. . . My friend who teaches construction skills to the inmates at our local prison tells me he's had 4 or 5 table saw accidents in the 9 years he's been there - they have a Sawstop saw ordered - and he assures me (accurately, I expect) that it's only a matter of time before it could happen to us. For three reasons - first and foremost, the potential injury to one of our kids, and the fact that we could practically eliminate the danger with the Sawstop saw; the liability exposure of having the sawstop on the market and not having it in the shop (we carry a million in coverage, but nonetheless), and the bad PR that would result if one our kids were to get hurt - it seems a no-brainer to go for the Sawstop. So, over a month ago I wrote to the Sawstop people, sent a package full of photos, our brochure, our national and regional awards, press coverage, etc. - and asking if they could help us with a saw, - but no response so far. I'm about ready to call them and make a pitch over the phone. Their saw is $2700 - a very expensive saw, but a small price to pay for peace of mind, etc. - and a one time expense for sure.
Other than that, we also need dust collection. We wrote and got another small grant for dust collection, but haven't bought anything yet. We have a small collector for our sanding room, but nothing for our main shop (tablesaw, jointer, slide compound miter saw, bandsaw, lathe, router table), and need to figure out what we should get, and what piping, hoods, etc. we need.
And, we can always use wood. We buy most everything retail from Lowes, and HD, and beg for hardwood scraps for the lathe. Speaking of the lathe, we could use another (the kids love the lathe - we just sold our first bowl today made by a girl out of the 'projects' - she was happy!)
The other area I thought of for possible help will be in our re-designed and enlarged RETAIL space. . .for background: a couple of months ago, with the assistance of additional volunteers, we took on Jimmy's vision for a total re-design of our space into separate areas for;
-tool shop,
-sanding/planing room,
-finishing/painting room,
-office and
-enlarged RETAIL space.
We've completed most of the physical re-design except for the re-location of our office space and the enlargement of our RETAIL space. Once the walls are up, we'll tackle plans to make the RETAIL space more functional in layout and appealing to shoppers. This will afford our KIDS the chance to further develop their entrepreneurial and people skills.
OK, anyone besides me want to help? I'll start by putting a $100 check in the mail. The donation form can be printed from website. I will also be happy to deliver anything that will fit in my pickup. 'Course, visiting Wilmington is always fun and only takes about two hours from RTP!
Why Not?
Sapwood
