Members of Central Indiana Woodworkers (CIWW) will come together this Saturday, Dec. 2, starting at 8:30 a.m., to help make the holidays just a bit brighter for families throughout the region.
CIWW’s year-long task of handcrafting nearly 10,000 wooden toys and gifts for children comes to a conclusion at an annual event they call Pick & Pack.
Boxes and crates of finished treasures come out of storage and take their place on a temporary assembly line. Ten stations hold stacks of wooden cars, trucks, rolling animals, puzzles, games, jewelry boxes, and other items made during the year.
Over 75 volunteers from the club line up with orders in hand, sent in by community-focused agencies. One by one, they pick requested items from the stations, boxing them up, and moving along to the final packing table. Bubble wrap is added, boxes taped shut, and the final orders are stacked for delivery to the agencies.
This year, the club has received requests from 40 different agencies throughout central Indiana. Many already have children in mind who will receive these treasures. Others give them out at random to families who are facing difficult situations this holiday season. The goal is always the same: help make a difference for kids who need it most.
Making a difference is part of the official mandate for CIWW. Founded in 1948 as Home Craftsmen Forum, the charity was started to help returning war veterans transition into life as homeowners. The club offered basic training in using tools and construction techniques as part of its educational mandate. The club also included the task of giving back to the community as the second major focus for their work. Toymaking quickly became a rally point for members to come together, learn new tools and techniques, and work on gifts that would bring smiles to kids of the region.
Once again this year, club members have produced nearly 10,000 toys which are ready for delivery. The average age of children being served is around 7, so toy designs have been updated to appeal to this older audience. Treasure or jewelry boxes are a popular choice for girls, while the cars and games get the attention of the boys. Many agencies prefer that the items produced are left unfinished, encouraging shared family time to decorate and personalize their new gifts.
CIWW President Jim Chrena says the toymaking program definitely appeals to the older, retired members of the club.
“Many of our members are at a point in life where they’re ready to spend their time making someone else’s life better,” Chrena said. “It’s what keeps some of them going … knowing one of our toys may be the only gift a child might receive over the holiday.”
Each month, club members are introduced to a new Toy of the Month which they are encouraged to build. The club provides drawings and templates for each toy. And they give members 13 of each item or supply that might be needed for the project. For instance, a racecar might require 13 sets of four wheels, 13 sets of four axles, and a small wooden person – times 13 – to sit in the driver’s seat. Members are allowed to keep one of the completed toys but bring the other 12 to turn in at the next meeting.
During the weeks between meetings, several club members open their home shops for toy work days. New and old woodworkers come together and learn about safe tool use and volume production methods. They also embellish the designs and add custom touches to give each item a unique look.
Jacque Beck, head of the club’s charitable activities, praises the many members who give their time and talent to help the community.
“We have an amazing group of people,” Beck said. “So many generous souls in our club, everyone stepping up in their own way to help us surpass our goal.”
This year’s Pick & Pack event will once again be held at the Talon Test Laboratories on Indianapolis’ west side at 915 Western Drive, where their donated warehouse is transformed into a temporary fulfillment center. Club members gather the day before to move the inventory out of storage and into the space. Items are organized by category, and stations are clearly marked for the big day.
On Saturday, after a greeting and pep talk by club leaders, volunteers are given orders and empty boxes. Moving from station to station, they collect items requested by agencies and return them to a central control table where the contents are checked and verified. Next they are passed along to the packing team who secure each order and move them to the pallets for delivery.
With so many toys and treasures being moved and handled, some items end up broken. For this purpose, a table and team of top-notch toymakers are on hand at the Toy Repair station. Like Santa’s elves, this team is able to quickly make last minute fixes or touch ups to hide blemishes and get the items back on the line. Unfortunately, some toys don’t pass the quality control inspector at the end of the line and are tossed aside for overhaul for next year.
The whole process takes the club’s volunteer fulfillment team less than three hours to get everything packed and ready for delivery. Additional volunteers will help transport some shipments while other agencies pick them up that day.
All things considered, Santa would be impressed with this well-oiled machine and how it designs, builds, and prepares a pile of 10,000 toys for delivery on Christmas morning.
Central Indiana Woodworkers are proud of their part in making a difference in the lives of families in the region, one toy at a time.
Additional information about CIWW can be found at ciww.org or by sending an email to info@ciww.org.