Club Seeks Community Service Coordinator One of the most important functions of the club is going unfulfilled: helping improve our community, which in turn makes our club a better part of the community. You are the person who can remedy that. How? By coordinating the club’s response to requests for assistance with woodworking service projects. It’s how our annual Christmas ornament drive creates one of the most popular trees for the Festival of Trees, how the club has arranged to have benches built for the Iowa Arboretum, and how we brought smiles to kids at Blank Children’s Hospital with our toy drive. You don’t have to do all the cutting, building, or sanding -- just coordinate our club’s response to these requests. It’s not a big job, but one of the club’s most important. You’ll benefit from networking with a variety of people from around central Iowa as you help coordinate the club’s involvement in community service projects. And you’ll help raise and improve the profile of the club at the same time. A number of service projects are ongoing, with club members already involved, so you won’t have to start from scratch. You can do this. Get more details by contacting us. I look forward to hearing your ideas. Ken Rummer, President Des Moines Woodworkers Association.
Benches building
The Iowa Arboretum is building a new family engagement project---Treehouse Village. This will be a one-of-a-kind attraction for the community. It consists of numerous treehouses, platforms, walkways, zip lines, swings and other playground equipment nicely nestled among trees overlooking a gorgeous valley. This will be a great venue for kids as well as other activities like weddings and gatherings. The Des Moines Woodworkers has agreed to build 14 sturdy oak benches to place around the village for people to sit, relax or watch their kids enjoy the playground. We are getting Bear Creek Hardwoods to mill heavy oak timbers for the benches, but we need volunteers to help assemble them. A Saturday or two this Spring will be needed to assemble them. Contact Us to sign up once the workdays are scheduled.
Des Moines Woodworker volunteers created the first bench for the Iowa Arboretum Treehouse Village Project. This was a test bench build to work out all the details on how we were going to assemble the 15 benches we are building for the Arboretum Treehouse Village. Members, we are tentatively scheduling the full-scale build at the Arboretum on June 1. Stay tuned for details about volunteering. Get involved, help the community.
Special thanks to Tex O., Dave G. Eugene H., Mike M., and Ken R. for making this a success.
Festival of Trees and Lights
For many years the Des Moines Woodworkers, Woodturners, and Woodcarvers Clubs have collaborated to decorate a Christmas tree auctioned off as part of the local Festival of Trees and Lights that benefits Blank Children's Hospital, for improving the health and lives of Iowa's children. In 2023 the annual Festival celebrated its 40th year, with a total of $13 million raised so far for Iowa's children.
The three Clubs donate handmade, wooden Christmas tree decorations to decorate one of the 75-plus seven-foot trees provided by the Festival. Traditionally a club member or spouse also donates a handmade tree skirt, as well as a tree topper, both of which stay with the tree and go to the winning bidder. Club members also gather for a fun afternoon to decorate the tree ahead of the annual three-day Festival of Trees and Lights.
