nanosec12
Member
Recently I created a unique opportunity that I felt was worth sharing. Many of the turners here participate in some sort of 'pens for the troops' program, like Freedom Pens or Pens for Peacekeepers to name two. I also participate in Freedom Pens, through Eddie Castelins group out of Louisianna.
A family friend just happens to be on active duty in the US Army. His daughter was going to be sleeping over at my house for a slumber party, so my wife and I decided to invite his 9 year old son over as well to let the parents have a 'night out' without the kids.
9 year old boys are not normally fond of hanging out and playing WII games with a bunch of 12 year old girls, so I had to figure out something for us to do, to get away from the 'women folk' for a bit. So I took him out to the shop, grabbed a pen kit, and started setting up the lathe. I decided to have him make a pen for his dad, and another for himself.
He did all the turning, but like most of you that have worked with younger kids around the lathe, I handled all the chemicals. We turned a couple of Trimline pens from stock that I had on hand, and that's when I came across the cool idea. With his dad having recently returned from a deployment, I made up a Freedom Pen card just like the ones I make for the pens I send out, but this time it would be the 9 year olds name on the card.
He so excited about what we made that he can't stop talking about it. He also got to make a nice gift for his dad. This is definitely the first time that one of the Freedom Pens went directly to someone I know, and it came from his son making it just a little bit more special.
A family friend just happens to be on active duty in the US Army. His daughter was going to be sleeping over at my house for a slumber party, so my wife and I decided to invite his 9 year old son over as well to let the parents have a 'night out' without the kids.
9 year old boys are not normally fond of hanging out and playing WII games with a bunch of 12 year old girls, so I had to figure out something for us to do, to get away from the 'women folk' for a bit. So I took him out to the shop, grabbed a pen kit, and started setting up the lathe. I decided to have him make a pen for his dad, and another for himself.
He did all the turning, but like most of you that have worked with younger kids around the lathe, I handled all the chemicals. We turned a couple of Trimline pens from stock that I had on hand, and that's when I came across the cool idea. With his dad having recently returned from a deployment, I made up a Freedom Pen card just like the ones I make for the pens I send out, but this time it would be the 9 year olds name on the card.
He so excited about what we made that he can't stop talking about it. He also got to make a nice gift for his dad. This is definitely the first time that one of the Freedom Pens went directly to someone I know, and it came from his son making it just a little bit more special.
