A CNC auto-router cuts out the pieces for the perky penguin toy. A sample has been painted and assembled.
When he was 6 years old, Steve Mead received a child-sized saw, lathe and drill as a gift from his father and grandfather. The gesture reflected the family’s passion for woodworking and provided Steve with a lifetime of treasured memories.
“I’ve always wanted to pass along this experience to a new generation of children,” says Steve, a sales representative for Distribution on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
This December, Steve is fulfilling his dream and inspiring young minds in , inspired by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’s Island of Misfit Toys. Each event provides local children — including some from lower-income families — the opportunity to showcase their creativity and spread holiday cheer by painting and assembling their own articulated wooden toys from pieces crafted by local high school students.
“The goal is to create a magical experience for local kids to kick off the holiday season,” Steve says.
Steve Mead woodworking as a child.
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Planning began earlier this year when Steve brought his Santa’s Workshop idea to the . He’d been part of a similar event years ago and wanted to recreate it closer to home.
The Arts Council was thrilled to help bring the holiday workshop to life, providing critical marketing and sponsorship support and community connections.
CCTC students who helped create the wooden toys.
“Our mission is to enrich our community through the arts,” says Megan Krizovensky, Arts Council program manager. “Caroline County is a unique place with deep-rooted traditions, and we aim to create artistic experiences that reflect and celebrate the spirit of our community.”
The Arts Council secured a plywood donation from BFS, one of our top Wood Products customers. With the council’s support, Steve reached out to the in Ridgely, Maryland, one of the county’s two high schools. CCTC blends challenging academic coursework with comprehensive vocational training and career skills development, which Steve thought would be a good match for creating the toys.
Using CAD software, a high school student at the Caroline Career and Technology Center in Ridgely, Maryland, designs the cut-out pattern for the T. Rex toy.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GO ALL IN
Teachers and high school students were excited about designing and crafting toys from scratch as part of their woodworking classes. The work both provided students with hands-on experience and brought them closer to their community in the spirit of giving.
“It was incredible to watch the students dive into the project,” Steve says. “From designing to cutting out the toy parts and sanding them smooth, the students put in so much heart and effort.”
The four toys assembled and ready for painting.
Students designed four toys: a perky penguin, a cuddly teddy bear, a friendly T. Rex and a smiling Triceratops. Using CAD software, a CNC auto-router, a bandsaw, a drill and a lot of sanding and fine-tuning, they crafted 500 toy kits from the donated plywood. Once the pieces were complete, students carefully packaged them in preparation for painting and assembly at the workshops.
The high schoolers were so swept up in the project and spreading holiday cheer that 16 volunteered to assist at the workshops, where they’ll don red or green sweaters and elf hats and guide children in painting the pieces and assembling the toys with wooden pegs.
“It was heartening to see them so vested in the event’s success,” Steve says. “They all went above and beyond. Ultimately, they made more than toys — they helped make holiday dreams come true.”
Students show off the assembled models.
SPREADING HOLIDAY JOY
The first workshop was held on Dec. 7, and two more are set for the 14th and 21st at the local community center. Over the course of three hours, kids and parents will sip hot chocolate, munch on sweet treats, enjoy other holiday activities and visit with Santa himself. For a suggested $15 donation, families can support the event and other youth programs in the area. No one, however, will be turned away for inability to pay.
“I can’t wait to see the joy on these kids’ faces as they assemble their very own toys,” Megan says. She’ll also be on hand as a helper elf. “Working with Steve, the high school, BFS and our other sponsors and supporters has been an incredible experience, and we’re all excited to spread some holiday cheer.”
For his part, Steve has also been tracking all the time he’s spent planning and coordinating the event in our TREE-Mendous Matching Gifts program, which has provided additional monetary support through the $15 matching gift for each hour he volunteered.
“I’m thankful for our TREE-Mendous Matching Gifts program helping make this dream a reality,” he says.
