Woodcraft Turn for Troops volunteers set a record by handing out 16,455 pens in 2022.
PARKERBURG, West Virginia. , Feb. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Woodcraft volunteers have collected a record troop of 16,455 pens for the 2022 march, the third-highest in 19 years. The only totals that are higher than 2022 are: 2009, 17,228 and 2018, 17,097. Total 14,703 for 2021. The pens will be handed over to active duty soldiers and the wounded.
“Congratulations to the Woodcraft Stores volunteers and dedicated staff, and thank you to the military for providing exceptional pens,” said President and CEO Jack Bigger . "They are allowing Woodcraft to continue to supply custom military pens as a token of appreciation for their sacrifice."
The Woodcraft National Turn for the Troops program produced 236,425 pens in the year and 19 years since the September 11, 2001 attacks. Woodcraft in Tucson, Arizona brought in a total of 28,500 pencils, more than any other store.
Why make a pen for the military?
“This is a great opportunity for active duty service members to celebrate their skills and use them for fun,” Bigger said. Most woodcraft stores offer pencil turning lessons, and the video "Pencil Turning 101" is available at woodcraft.com.
Comments from a recipient stationed on the aircraft carrier USS George W. Bush confirm the program's value: “Thank you for your support... Your support speaks volumes about our dedication. We are grateful."
Store Leaders: Volunteers at the five Woodcraft stores producing the most pencils in 2022: Tucson, Arizona , 2297; Grand Rapids, Michigan , 1878; Milwaukee, Wisconsin , 1748; Nashville, Tennessee , 1301; and Boise, Idaho , 1262.
Year-round rotation of pencils. Some individuals and groups change pencils throughout the year and send the pencils to the nearest woodwork shop or, if the shop is not nearby, to a woodworking office.
Members of the Tennessee Association of Lathes (TAW) in Nashville sharpen pencils (1,301 this year) for soldiers from a Nashville carpentry shop for a year. TAW also held their own November 5 Turn In Troops Turn In, giving away 120 pens, and some soldiers also went to the store in Nashville in order to donate pens that day.
Other teams and totals for 2022:
• Village Woodworkers Club, located in a retirement village in Florida - 1070 people.
• New Mexico Lumber Store in Albuquerque, NM - 231.
• Old Country Lathe Guild in Albany, New York - 70 people.
Distribution of pencils. Although Woodcraft sponsors Turn-A-Thon for the troops on Veterans Day, pencils are given out year-round. In 2022, pens were shipped to individuals, military installations, veterans' organizations, and medical facilities in 22 states, the USS George W. Bush, and three other countries: Germany , Poland , and Lithuania . Recipients represent all branches of the military.
Pen Orders: Woodcraft receives orders for pens throughout the year, and Woodcraft's office staff regularly consults with military liaisons about where to ship the pens. Sometimes the shops would recommend where to ship the pens, and sometimes the military would contact Woodcraft after reading the ad for the annual event.
Photos of the Turn-A-Thons store and more information about the 2022 Turn-A-Thons event can be found on the Woodcraft Blog.
For more information about Woodcraft, visit your nearest Woodcraft store, visit Woodcraft.com, or call (800) 535-4482. Learn more about Woodcraft franchise opportunities or email us at woodcraftfranchise@woodcraft.com. Follow Woodcraft on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube.
Media contact
Lori Harper , Woodcraft, 304-865-4107, lori_harper@woodcraft.com
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