Gloat/EXCITEMENT!!!!Pictures added

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North West Indiana
For those of you that know of the Freedom Pen Project, there is a similar project called "Give It Back" through WR (thanks Vaughn for the link).
I had a bright idea and sent a letter to (who I thought was commander) the commander of our local American Legion. He contacted me and I went to a meeting last Thursday evening. I showed them turned pens and explained the Give It Back Project and asked them to finance four pen kits per student. One of the members said he would do it personally! So another member asked me if we could turn six pens per student and I answered, "yes". So a motion was stated, seconded and approved for the American Legion Post to finance two more kits per student! I walked in thinking to ask for four hoping for two and in the end got six per student. So before Christmas, the Give It Back Project through my high school woods class should be receiving 360 pens to send on!!! This is a great option for my students and for the opportunity to send something to those sacrificing for us. Yep, I am a normally long winded person, sorry but very excited. Students are today taking the safety tests and will be introduced to the lathes by Wednesday and turning a wooden egg between centers. Should be starting some preliminary pens by next week. I have to get in my stash of wood as the deal was I would supply the blanks if they supplied the kits. So need to get blanks cut as well as build a nice pen stand for our showcase in the hall that will hold 360 pens. As each pen is completed it will be put in the showcase on the rack so the total can be seen daily. Thinking of going to the VFW later in the year for more kits for after Christmas! Will post pictures and keep you updated.
 
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Well Done Jonathan:thumb: I'm betting the VFW will sponsor you class after christmas and the Legion will do it again in the fall of '09 and so on and so on....
 
Better unbutton those shirt buttons - they're in danger of popping as your chest swells with pride! Well done! Looking forward to seeing some of the finished product.
 
Jeff Bower Well Done Jonathan I'm betting the VFW will sponsor you class after christmas and the Legion will do it again in the fall of '09 and so on and so on....
Well it was one of my better ideas!:rolleyes: I don't want to be a pain or a drain on them, but did think it was relevant and something they would want to be part of.

Rennie Heuer Better unbutton those shirt buttons - they're in danger of popping as your chest swells with pride! Well done! Looking forward to seeing some of the finished product.
Actually Rennie, middle age has caught up with me and the buttons could fly off but it is due to middle age spread! (my chest has fallen to my belt line :dunno:!) Yep, can't wait to start posting the progress. All of you will probably get tired of seeing the posts.

Gari Biasillo Great news! I can't wait to see the results.
Gari, I will be boring all of you to death with the progress soon!

Ned Bulken Jonathan, what a great project! Can't wait to see photos from your kids' labors. I dropped you a PM about this as well.
Ned, thanks for the offer of blanks. They will be accepted and used wisely. Stu sent some blanks last year and I did not hand them out until near the end of the year so the kids realized the special wood they had in hand. Even though the students were selling pens dirt cheap, I am not aware of any of the pens made from Stu's wood to be sold. It will raise their level of awareness to the greatness of this project to have blanks come in from another area. Yep, got to get designing then building a pen display rack with 366 holes (I am going to make and ship six also) so the daily tally can be seen in our display case.
 
That's most excellent, Jonathan! :thumb:

If your students need blanks, I suspect all you'd need to do is mention it here. I know I've got some I can send if you need them, and I'm sure there are a lot of others here who would do the same. ;)
 
Vaughn, Cody and all. I have had numerous PM's concerning sending me some blanks. I don't think using any blanks you send will be doing wrong since I told the American Legion I would supply the blanks. So if any of you wish to send some blanks, I will use them for the Give It Back project and they will be sent by Christmas (that is my target date). So, if any want to send blanks, I will try to keep a list of all and make mention and post pictures of the progress.

North Judson - San Pierre High School Ag. Shop
c/o Jonathan Shively
#1 Bluejay Drive
North Judson, Indiana 46366

Thanks to all and will create a new post and keep adding to it as we make progress.
 
This is truely inspiring. Since I am a retired Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant...it does my heart good to see these sorts of projects for our fighting men and women in harms way. Involving your students speaks volumes and the hope that the next generation will understand what those before him have done. Semper Fi...R/Guy
 
Guy, first of all let me thank you for your service to our country. My students understand what they are doing, and where the pens are going, can you put into words what a gift from someone you don't know, may never know, but was just an act of kindness due to where you are and what you are doing means to that service person. Your words might be what it takes to make this "click" in their brain that their pen won't just be tossed aside and is a genuine token of thanks. (Not having any dissenters, but I like to cover all bases in the hopes complete understanding is taking place.)
 
AWESOME!! Johnathon, if you need some pen blanks let me know. I happen to have 100's or 1000's.( I don't really know) I cut lots of wood, and have lots of spalted maple. a fare amount of curl and birdseye maple as well as lots of exotics. PM me and I'll get some in the mail.
 
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