The Nittany Valley Woodturners enjoy giving back to the community and around the world.
Wands for Kids
In January 2023 a woodturner on Instagram posted a request to all woodturners across the globe to make wands for Camp Korey. Kids with serious medical issues attend Camp Korey to forget about their struggles and have a great time in a beautiful, fun, inspiring setting in Washington state, without cost. There are plans to build a Harry Potter style Diagon Alley including Ollivander’s wand shop and they want to fill it with 1000 wands for kids to use. Our club joined in to make 38 wands for the kids.
Commemorating a Historic Tree
On October 8th, 2018 we presented items that were turned from a historic 185 yr old Ash tree cut down on Main Street in Boalsburg, PA. Items were presented to the township supervisors at their monthly meeting. Pictured L-R are Mike Lebo, Mark McLaren, township supervisor, Paul Demmert.
Belize Woodworking Project
Jim Hopkins, a club member, was also on the board of directors for Sowing Seeds in Belize a charity working to help the people of Belize through training and through providing a market for their goods. Jim met a self taught woodworker, Mr Cab, when he visited Belize in November of 2017.
Mr. Cab has a dream of training up young men to make bowls and other wooden products from sustainably, ethically, and legally sourced fallen timber. The club members donated several lathe tools, grinder wheel, safety equipment and bowl turning book, that were taken down to Belize January 2018.
Boal Mansion Fundraiser
When the Boal Mansion had several trees fall on their property during a storm in 2017, the club got together to help remove the trees and turn them into products for the Boal Mansion to sell to raise money.
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Bowls presented to Mansion gift shop Sept 9, 2017. Bowls were turned from downed Cherry, Maple, and Catalpa trees.
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Community Education Program
The Nittany Valley Woodturners Club, in conjunction with The Rivet, offers an several different turning classes throughout the year including pens, ice cream scoops, and a three legged stool. Signup for the class you are interested in quickly since they fill up quickly.