Walter Reed Army Medical Center - Warriors in Transition Support
Serving our Wounded Warriors and their Familites
MCW is supporting the Walter Reed Army Medical Center Arts & Craft Center efforts to develop and deliver turning demonstrations, classes, workshops and mentoring support to wounded warriors and their families who are being cared for by either the Walter Reed Army Hospital or the Bethesda Naval Medical Center.
The Arts & Craft Center, part of the garrison facilites organization, is located at the Glen Forest Annex in Silver Springs, MD. It's mission is to serve the local military community including families through a variety of arts & crafts facilities and offerings. Classes, workshops, instruction and various facilities that support woodworking, ceramics and photography are available.
The Arts & Crafts Center Woodshop staff is expanding its capabilities to support wounded warriors and their families by developing and offering demonstrations, workshops, mentoring support and disablement-friendly resources while our wounded warriors complete their recovery and while their families may be locally resident.
How MCW is helping
MCW is supporting the Arts & Crafts Woodshop staff by:
Volunteering member time to help Woodshop staff develop and deliver demonstrations, classes and individual instruction.
Assisting Woodshop staff in enhancing current facilities to better serve the unique needs of our wounded warriors such as wheel-chair accessible lathes and tools
Loaning MCW-owned and member-owned lathes and tools for use during demonstrations and workshops
Donating wood and supplies for warrior projects
Seeking grants and donations for purchase of additional lathes, tools, equipment and supplies to better serve the unique turning needs of wounded warriors
Future Turning Workshops for our Wounded Warriors
11/10
11/24
12/8
12/22
Walter Reed Arts and Craft Center Website
(Hours and Directions)
http://www.wramcartsandcrafts.com/
Parking Directions (use to avoid a $70 ticket!)
Site Directions - 092309.pdf
Progress Report
Date | Milestone/Activity |
| Jan, 2009 | Presentation/discussion of Arts & Craft Center efforts to support wounded warriors. AAW Chapter Grant Request Submitted for lathe, tools, accessories and supplies |
| Feb, 2009 | Completion of Formal Volunteer Orientation, commencement of formal volunteering role and tour of Woodshop by MCW member and liaison, Bert Bleckwenn and weekly volunteer commitment Identification of initial wounded warrior demonstration capabilities needs and action plan to create demonstration capabilities |
| March, 2009 | Eight Warriors attend initial turning session and several warriors turn and complete individual pens. MCW Members, Bert Bleckwenn and Jerry Mauch, assist Shop Manager with teaching and mentoring Warriors. Future Warriors In Transition turning workshops scheduled for every other Tuesday. AAW grant awarded and announced at MCW Monthly Meeting - proceeding with fund allocations based on Warrior needs. Bert Bleckwenn and Phil Brown loan their Jet Mini-lathes to bring available number of lathes up to five for the short-term. While demand is increasing with each session, we are restricting number of attendees to 2-3 per instructor in order to ensure adaquate personal attention. When we have six lathes available, we will pursue adding a third instructor/mentor from the MCW membership. We've made a determination of initial tool and supply needs, but are awaiting receipt of the initial AAW Grant funding and chapter approval to also fund $500. |
| April, 2009 | $500 chapter funding approved at April 9th meeting to complement the $1500 Grant funding. Lathes, turning tools, accessories and supplies placed on order using the AAW and MCW provided funds with the Woodworking Club of Rockville, Penn State Industries and Klingspor. The firms are supporting our efforts by providing significant discounts or donations resulting in our ability to stretch our purchasing dollars on behalf of our warriors. |
| May, 2009 | Major purchases have been completed using the $1500 AAW Grant Award and MCW’s $500 contribution. Approximately $200 remains and will be used as more consumables are required or a specific need arises. We are still awaiting the delivery of the Jet Mini-Lathe and Stand which we hope to see sometime in June. We continue to teach a maximum of five warriors at each session with every session since March running at full capacity. Demand is always high with each warrior completing a pen on their initial session. There is always more demand than what we can support because of limited lathes. The new lathe will allow us to expand to six students per session. This past month, we’ve prepared about 50 new blanks with wood donated by Bill Autry, Jerry Mauch and Bert Bleckwenn so we are stocked up for the next three months. We have other small projects in the works such as bottle stoppers and holiday ornaments, but so far the warriors all want to create their own pen. |
| June, 2009 | MCW's new Jet 1220 Minilathe has arrived and now in use bringing the available lathe complement up to six. 
Additional hardwood cutoffs have been donated by DC Woodworker, Curt Barger. |
| July, 2009 | MCW has received a donation of a Fische Minilathe from Ed Konig, a friend of David Jacobowitz for use with our Warrior in Transition Program. Many thanks to David and his friend, Ed for supporting MCW outreach efforts. Elliot Schantz has started to volunteer his time for the warrior pen-turning sessions as a backup to Bert Bleckwenn. Bill Autry has also expressed an interest in providing backup on occasion, so will be looking for an opportunity to engage him later this year as well. Parking has become more of a challenge, so anyone visiting the center should see the shop manager, Chris Wright who can provide guidance for packing on the back side of the Arts & Craft Center. (and avoid a $70 fine if you park in front of the Arts & Craft Center!) |
| August, 2009 | A Fische mini-lathe has been donated by a friend of David Jacobowich and is being prepared for use. |
| Sept, 2009 | Ordered variable-speed replacement motor for the Fische mini-lathe which we discovered had a shorted-out motor. Successfully replaced the motor and now have an additional mini-lathe available for Warrior use. Jeff Bridges from the Cheseapeake Woodturners Club has volunteered to participate in the Warriors In Transition Support Program with MCW. Welcome Jeff! Chris Wright has been experiencing more warriors returning to the shop on other days and evenings to turn individual projects and we're starting to see warriors expand into other turning activities beyond pen turning such as bowl turning. |
| October, 2009 | Jeff Bridges is preparing additional pen blanks by glueing them up and trimming them. Chris Wright enhanced the motor mount for the Fische lathe and now has it positioned along side the other mini-lathes on one bench. It is up and running and is a great addition. Jeff Bridges obtained a $100 contribution from the Cheseapeake Woodturners Club for use in purchasing additional supplies. We might try some key chain kits or other small turning project kits with some of the funds just to expand the variety of projects for our warriors. Many thanks to Jeff and the Cheseapeake Woodturners Club for their support! |
| |