Blind Center update - Thank you George!

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

sbwertz

Member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
3,654
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I haven't had a chance to publicly thank George for the HUGE box of Aussie wood he sent to the blind center. (I also want to thank all of you who contributed to the cost of the postage...almost $200 to mail it!)

He sent TWO sets of his Australian wood pen blanks (almost 200 blanks) plus blanks for stoppers, handles and peppermills. (The red gum was especially popular. What a beautiful wood...he sent enough for several peppermills and we also made some beautiful pepper shakers for salt and pepper sets.

We lost Tom last month. His brain cancer finally took him from us. We really miss him. Also lost my other senior trainer who moved to Texas last month. So right now we have only two trainers...myself and Lori, a friend I taught to turn about 6 years ago.

I have two more trainers in training. One of them is almost ready to "go solo" now. Only one guy. All the rest of us are of the female persuasion! My other new trainer is Jo. She is visually impaired...she has tunnel vision. Good vision in a very narrow central field but no peripheral vision at all. But she is making a good trainer as long as there is another trainer in the shop who can see. She has trouble finding things if she drops them! Mike is a volunteer. He and his wife both volunteer at the Center one day a week. Right now he is turning with another experienced trainer in the shop with him, but soon he will be able to start teaching by himself, opening another turning day on the calendar.

The program is going well. One of my blind turners is fixing to go visit some relatives in Wisconsin. She is making a box of turnings to take with her, because her church has expressed an interest in buying things she has made. Here is one of her latest creations. Three mushroom bottle stoppers in a rotted log display stand. She is totally blind. (Guide dog blind!) She is one of my most prolific turners.

UhPsCPI2E4t_hmgVocdGFDxBZtAxF_f8sT9wz-bDKVKIOwK3egOkqWt3DaxrIRvzn9qlq2d-voxFzzELFzBQXxcXGecGxahhUyibBqSbpUutFNt27D_j-IsIUed2Yi9qpHupQXi_xCZ3tQf2VYXy7IjWSv85zwxWxyzdUR7SH1liVkWP_97DzjUnxjHZ7XK7SZsc0IpLQT2Az4q8hZ0CrkM59OG7In3sUmOo4S0NwEYwGGv9QGhPbX0KAXG4hY1R4i1UlUIEXUolE46DTj4YuSIRThCm20NVcpcU84dljaWR7xaiORvT4l_1_9sItPeY6GGHfhd6siDf1pDd7yAvAomfyevsmjCQBTsMLqI8d9O21mSqDn94ugXgwKd3zhThpwX172IBBaGH5PfzGeAdUJzbXm7T9TU7FY8Z7rxXsayU6hNlyr_FhQOkAmkaq1UorYo7ww4Xz43gmic1ciMA8nFDxEbvjJ6sXrncQDR4LsRT538ZwcyNu3az2YopFTUXwWvSp82IjiJvtR47VJyHRLGL9YGvwJy58K6OYhqHe8z5_6A7ziQLlvNR6fSue_rhP_4f2vdsMWysjRLD3QHAEq3bWy3uTR63j-bpL1IeJmkY8xobZ1Wj=w994-h745-no


I want to thank all of you who have helped make this project so successful.
 
Last edited:
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

magpens

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
Messages
15,911
Location
Canada
My compliments also, Sharon ! . You are doing a fantastic job helping others to participate in a hobby they would otherwise be unable to enjoy.
 

DJBPenmaker

Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2016
Messages
539
Location
Cheshire, UK
George really is a gud'n. Would love to see the photo but the link seems broken.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Using a different approach I've now seen the photo and blind or not that's brilliant work. My mother was totally blind and also made things and I saw how difficult it was for her and the patience needed to do things amazed me. Please pass my compliments on the the lady who did this work and thank you for helping and teaching blind people.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 

robutacion

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
6,514
Location
Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
Thank's Sharon, is a pleasure to be able to help however, I couldn't do it all on my own, the generosity among IAP members have allowed me to fulfil this wish of mine and cover the shipping costs, I only had to supply woods from my "stables" and give people visually impaired, the opportunity to handle/smell/feel many of the woods I have collected/salvaged over the years.

I wish I was closer, there would be no shortage of wood for these people including yourself, but the reality is, I'm on the other side of the world and "transportation" at such long distances is quite expensive adding the fact that, most woods are fairly heavy material.

It takes a considerable amount of effort and time to take someone to the level where they can become themselves, teachers, what you and your teachers do is more than just teach, there has to be a great amount of appreciation and understanding to those that are unable to use their site and "show" them that being visually impaired/blind does not mean they can't work/experience the art and pleasure of woodworking and turning, while there may be also some considerable effort asked to these people, I can not but congratulate the teachers and the inspirators such as yourself, for the amazing work you do...!

I'm happy that you guys are enjoying the blanks big and small, I'm not surprised the Red Gum was a success, the blanks were cut from the gigantic old Red Gum tree root/but, that lived for hundreds of years a few hundred meters from me, the very last tree of the "giants" in the area.

Thank you...!

Cheers
George
 

Attachments

  • 060.JPG
    060.JPG
    120.9 KB · Views: 110

sbwertz

Member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
3,654
Location
Phoenix, AZ
George, the thing that frustrates me the most is that these people create these beautiful things and then they CAN'T SEE how beautiful they are!
 

sbwertz

Member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
3,654
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Here is a picture of Frank Vance, who has been totally blind since he was 15, and the beautiful desert ironwood pen and pen/card holder he turned. He is one of my most skilled turners.

MUsctF8aoPB9L9we6Kkm8cjqWpOyY3UcnSaL4LQ64K3XPpMkNIADmnr958mBGgxCUfOtIRLeuc9bHnKDRfx6nvDsOhktGmRGwIFMY2cPJ70QWkl8UKoHPLu-Xju2_nSTd-TD8zkh-r4AAfGtkTAGxfMKUu9GuWYokJ6qNh6IhAGUsowkxyPIWGi0gel5MIZqJ8ogs1UbH38_OiuR8Vz3p4JWUarsb2PohuFSomT_mQLduBu1LqNX3Ldiey9TPZBkxWdZ_0sdE6yQtKA-WYfmsC28Vs6IYCzs0Q6aH0-GpNPcoJ37MRGOmIpuPQnQvh-0Bjq1t0SMAbfuyVyZ6JAy_YdZP-Y5SMolpVvim9fHeNc8Sfmdni-ZhRcxpoXgC37A4E3xjlQycittF6Y9VV2CUmebgIG52VeEgStw-wnPdweSFGYCQrvtkts8eAMgp_8gSNKo4Dy8ozJWUr69gwQdtJeebh-x1KKtgoZIRG8vq4d9fAyrCGsJWj0cRQfjh0bemE0W2_4-vgqnYFwuc4X9vHUgaDJqig5G1ifvGIGcRB2QfRV2gHQYOhcDZxkT9_m57qx6f7UplZAXbAjYyYa7rmF9jdi99kaDDA1xk5U4G1LPKHym8DL1=w535-h745-no
 

sbwertz

Member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
3,654
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Here is a smaller picture of Stephanie's wine bottle stoppers and display stand. Maybe it will display better

aOXdeE6grMOewKSoTJ_Vuisx5exmAvXYjy1Z9cK2_Pmvs2hyLhnEfHd6hcJ0Kiu2zNR4ZCTST-NScGDEYaB9Y_IayyrDDWDP7S1Ft2pKR8pEwzpKdf5cM7FLTyhCDcrxgU5X3ntF7yyiup3wC7Mu68VV-KyazDw3zIbhf2-2GRaKt7mVv3yLg_Sw6bsp0R1QG01C05EO8iusT1QeEex3xBmPMbXnbdkAD0QEXlJKqeOm1PQNQDVuus4ZBOavVU1dP1cH7XqzCeRoTU3l-NHi5RDefbwj6ZK27vpew-xwWrVCtk6G20SO1_4sPxWzb0Q5hPhjyQ24xOkVkeplqHsVD7_cteL-JIKX6_aKTZpyX6ZgpvhF7kfDDeNNBhe8lZf8u_evxVmoiRekuoiUawwMKMC8uvh9EhIvB4142ULUGLF8iNi5kIr_xvcpO3O5chPM-GwTyTaHKGpBHCy-1ciaEHbndGepKjQxyQjvCaBzMG_CJFl9MEL10IXbLEMWoMmUH6GZpIhCcYtFxlteuMEatIShkrtoHMuctVX4_izIWdsHYI2Q0TBVgbCdbEskjXMd77W3aXh1UydBA95re_kYi3EFbtnEYH7wZIF6-ZZp-LM1LN7l2CdF=w924-h745-no
 
Top Bottom