Community Projects

The CWC proudly contributes to various community service projects. Scroll down this page to review examples.

The Jim Schaefer Toy Project

For more than 19 years, members of CWC have built and donated toys to the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP). CAP is a non-profit Christian organization committed to serving people in need in Appalachia. CAP serves all of Appalachia including portions of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. The toys made by CWC members are distributed by CAP to needy Appalachian children in five counties around Mt. Vernon, Kentucky. For many of these children, these toys may be the only gifts they receive for Christmas.

In November 2007, the CWC honored one its members by renaming this perennial toy program The Jim Schaefer Toy Project. As background, Jim started the Club's participation in this project in 1988, when members were looking for a way to contribute. He continued to lead the program for about 15 years. Over the years, he and his wife Sylvia made hundreds of toys and other items for children. Each year, they loaded their van with the donated items from CWC and made the trip to Mt. Vernon, Ky. for delivery. Occasionally, two trips were required. In 2003, he handed the leadership reins to Terry Elfers & John Leonardi to take over stewardship of the project. The club participation and number of items contributed has increased every year. In spite of challenging health problems, Jim, with Sylvia's support, remained an ardent toy maker and supporter of the project. (Jim died on May 28, 2008. But the Toy Project he started lives on.)

We invite all area woodworkers, CWC members and non-members alike, to participate in this worthy project. Toys are collected each year at the November meeting. If you'd like more information, contact Terry Elfers or John Leonardi. See CWC Contacts

CAP Toy Project 2004 (photos of 2004 contributions).

CAP Toy Project 2005 (photos of 2005 contributions).

CAP Toy Project 2006 (photos of 2006 contributions).

Jim Schaefer Toy Project 2007 (photos of 2007 contributions).

Tips For Making Toys

Making Wooden Cars -- Ron Frame

Toy Making Tips -- Gary Claytor & Larry Lockwood

Downloadable Plans for toys - Courtesy Jim Baldock - free for non-profit use

Truck_01 Truck_02 Truck_03 VW_01.pdf VW_02.pdf Pickup.pdf Truck_Postal .pdf Zip_Auto.pdf

Downloadable Plans for Doll House Furniture - Courtesy Jim Baldock - free for non-profit use baldock@fuse.net

01 STUFFED CHAIR.pdf 02 STUFFED COUCH.pdf 03 COFFEE TABLE.pdf 0 4 END TABLE.pdf 05 DINING TABLE.pdf 06 DINING CHAIR.pdf

07 KITCHEN TABLE.pdf 08 KITCHEN CHAIR.pdf

Downloadable Plans for Log Cabins - Courtesy Jim Baldock - free for non-profit use baldock@fuse.net

BALDOCKS LOGS 0.pdf BALDOCKS LOGS 1.pdf BALDOCKS LOGS 2.pdf BALDOCKS LOGS 3.pdf BALDOCKS LOGS 4.pdf BALDOCKS LOGS 5.pdf

Special Project -- toys and memory boxes for the children at Children's Hospital

CWC has enthusiastically volunteered for a special toy project for Cincinnati's Children's Hospital. By crafting and donating toys, puzzles and boxes we hope to help make life a little brighter for the children undergoing treatment. CWC members and non-members alike are encouraged to help out. Basil Maddox is our liaison.

Click to view: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Photo Gallery (photos of various projects)

Click to view: Boy Scouts Assemble the Cars Children's Hospital Thank You Letter

Here's how you can help:

We are currently including these three items:

1. Memory box - the same size as a cigar box. 8.5"x5.5"x2.5". It should have a lid. A sliding lid works well and doesn't require a lot of work. The box should not be finished. The children will work on decorating them.

Click on link for: Memory Box Plan.pdf (Provided by Ken Koch - free for non-profit use)

2. Any wheeled small toy like a car or truck (see some samples below).

3. Various cutouts out of 1/4" or 3/8" wood. We provided various patterns at the May 8, 2004 meeting. Or if anyone has good dinosaur patterns by all means use them. The children will decorated then and hang them up. Unless the cutouts are meant to be sitting on something, please drill a 3/16" hole so they may be hung with a string.

Completed projects may be dropped off at Woodcraft in Fairfield. Put a tag on your bag or box, addressed to Basil Maddox - Children's Hospital Project and include your name. If you have some completed items and Woodcraft is not convenient, contact Basil for pickup/delivery arrangements. Click Club Contacts for contact information.

Patterns may also be downloaded and printed for cutout. See selection below: (If you have some neat patterns to share, send a copy to the webmaster and he will post here.)

Cutout Pattern1 Cutout Pattern2 Cutout Pattern3 Cutout-Fruit Cutout-Flower Cars Cars 2

Jackson Area Ministries

About 5 years ago Ken Koch and Earl North began providing used furniture to Jackson Area Ministries, or JAM. JAM is a mission activity of the United Methodist Church. Click here to learn more about it.

Garden Benches For Girl Scout Center (photo gallery) -- John Leonardi, Terry Hale and Ron Armbrust built 10 garden benches for the Maineville, Ohio Girl Scout Center. These guys put a lot of sweat equity into this project. Bruce Mosher, Guy Miller and Chelsea Leonardi also assisted.