Beads of Courage

[mark james]

For those of us that do bowls/boxes also!

Just joined a charity: "Beads of Courage" (Google to get to site).

This is for children who have serious medical conditions and earn beads for the procedures they need to endure. TURNERS HAVE BEEN SUPPLYING BOXES (bowls with lids) to store the beads.

My local AAW group sends these off - You will need to investigate arrangements in your area.

Just an FYI for those interested.


Mark

If anyone wants to donate and has now outlet - PM me and we can make arrangements through my AAW group. I'll get you a bead for placement in the handle/finial and a certificate (I just ordered 25). I will also reimburse you for shipping to me as you are donating the material/work/and love!

Jeff: If this is not appropriate - let me know (Still a newbie to IAP protocols).

 

[Gregf]

Glad to hear your group is involved with this.

I believe SWAT has had a contest for making Beads of Courage Bowls the past few years.

I first heard of this when they affiliated with theInternational Society of Glass Bead Makers back in (I think 2005). Beadmakers have since donated tens ofthousands of handmade beads.

Beads of Courage is a program dedicated to helping children cope with serious illness.
Patients diagnosed with cancer or other types of serious illness are given astrand of beads with their name on it.
For every medical treatment they complete, they are given beads which represent their personal journey.
Beads collected throughout the recovery processbecome a symbol of challenges faced and a life forever changed.
Each child is given a purple heart when they go into remission.
Parents who lose a child are given a butterfly bead.

It's overwhelming to see one of these bead strands over 10ft long and think about every bead represents a procedure that they have had to endure.

Beads of CourageProgram serves over 150 children's hospitals in the U.S. , Canada, Japan theU.K and New Zealand., supporting over 30,000 children
More info on the program can be found on their website
www.beadsofcourage.org
or http://www.beadsofcourage.org/pages/woodworkers.htm
There was a segment on CBS Good Morning America back in 2010.
Beads of Courage on CBS Sunday Morning - YouTube

On my list of things to accomplish this year, in addition to troop pens is to learn to turn bowls so I can contribute them.

 

[mark james]

GregF:

Thanks for the additional info - It helps.

I'm not a proficient turner (yet), so my goal is to turn 1-2 bowls a month to donate and this will help me to improve as well as helping a great cause.

 

[mark james]

Bowl #1

As a pen turner I'm only adequate... As a bowl turner/box turner... well, I will get better. :crying:

This my 8'th bowl, but first for the charity - my goal is to donate 1 per month.

It is maple from my backyard that came down in a storm 2 years ago. I cut 15 bowl blanks and sealed them and put them away. It was very dry, but still "moved" in the 4 days I had time to start and finish it. The fit is pretty poor (sloppy and now not true and round), but It is adequate enough for the cause.

It goes to the North Coast Woodturners Club in 2 weeks (Alpha Chapter of the AAW).

NIce comments welcomed (bad ones :biggrin: also!!!)

 

[Jim15]

Looks great to me.

 

[mark james]

As a pen turner I'm only adequate... As a bowl turner/box turner... well, I will get better. :crying:

This my 8'th bowl, but first for the charity - my goal is to donate 1 per month.

It is maple from my backyard that came down in a storm 2 years ago. I cut 15 bowl blanks and sealed them and put them away. It was very dry, but still "moved" in the 4 days I had time to start and finish it. The fit is pretty poor (sloppy and now not true and round), but It is adequate enough for the cause.

It goes to the North Coast Woodturners Club in 2 weeks (Alpha Chapter of the AAW).

NIce comments welcomed (bad ones :biggrin: also!!!)

Have to Laugh...

The bowl started to "Move" almost as soon as it was done. No cracks or splits, but both the bottom and top have warped enough I cannot place the top into the bottom.:tongue:

I thought the wood was dry - guess not...

Anyway... I'm still a Newbie, so I'll get better.

AND... I have a very nice warped box!!!

 

[thewishman]

Hey Mark, cut off the finial and you'll have two nice bowls!

 

[mark james]

Yea.. That's a GREAT suggestion!!!

I'll just need to make two more tops - fine!

The bowl looks hilarious!!! Pretty, but totally out-of-round! :tongue:

I'm having fun, so life is good! I just need to turn 2 for February - work will keep me bust the next week and the local AAW mtg is this Sat (I'm donating 100 beads which just came in... no bowls ).

Thanks!!!

 

[Akula]

I want in on this, going to see if I can get some other turners involved as well. I never heard of this, so thanks for the link and information.

 

[mark james]

I want in on this, going to see if I can get some other turners involved as well. I never heard of this, so thanks for the link and information.

If you PM me your address I'll send you :airplane: 5 beads to start - I'm buying them for my local AAW club, so I have a bunch. And with my "bowl impairments"... they'll last me a while.