The holidays are right around the corner, meaning itâs that time of year for joy and festivities. For many, it also brings the daunting task of gift shopping – an activity that tends to hit the hardest for the nearly 39.7 million Americans that live in poverty and simply donât have the means to provide presents to their children this holiday season. However, Sun Cityâs very own Woodchucks charter group has come up with a solution to combat this problem on the local level.
Having moved to Sun City in 2002, Al La Pelusa took the opportunity to join the Woodchucks not knowing the impact he would soon have on this organization and the community. Around 2006, La Pelusa began the long process of organizing the idea with other members of the Woodchucks, to build toys for underprivileged children.
âProbably 14 years ago or so we just came up with this idea. We enjoy being here, we enjoy making toys for the needy. The problem we had is that we had no avenue to distribute. Itâs difficult to find who is needy. Thatâs how we got hooked up in 2008, with the [Grafton Food] pantry. Thatâs the perfect avenue. We make the toys, we give [the toys] to them. Weâre not involved anymore at that point. They distribute the toys to the families that come in and thatâs how it all got started,â La Pelusa said.
The toy making project had its humble beginnings at first, relying on scrap lumber from a nearby construction site. As the project grew into something much larger, so did the need for funds to buy better quality wood. The Woodchucks soon implemented a system for any resident that would come into the workshop in need of repairs.
La Pelusa explained, âWe came up with a tip jar so everybody that walks into the shop and asks us to do a favor for them, you know like somebody needs wood cut or something, we ask them to throw a couple bucks in the tip jar. It kept getting larger and larger. We got to a point where the members who were building the toys, wanted to buy some toys. So, we put a policy in place that you can only buy a toy if you make a toy. That evolved as time went by and for instance this year, we sold over 700 dollars in toys, but that was just for the members. Thatâs about 65 members who volunteeredâ.
Erin Ivory with Woodchuck Jim Jiran.
Jim Vitte, Vice President of the Woodchucks, has been so pleased with the progress of the annual toy project that he even managed to help spread the word to news station, WGN.
Every year around June, a sign-up sheet is made available for volunteers and interested group leaders. Each team comes up with their own unique toy design and must have at least 36 or more toys completed by Thanksgiving.
While the thought of working with large machinery may sound intimidating, Vitte assures there is training involved and always someone supervising the activities to ensure the safety of its members.
WGN camera crew with the Woodchucks.
Karleen Kimberlin-Kurtz, a supervising foreman for the Woodchucks, can attest to this fact. Having started in the Woodchucks in 2005 with no prior knowledge of woodworking, has come far in mastering her skills in creating intricate pieces.
âI think that if you have an artistic ability, you should be able to work with wood. I like that you can take something blank and make something out of it,â she said.
WGN aired the Woodchucksâ story on December 3 on channel 9.
