Trucks In A Row Toys For Tots Builds Its Reserves As Volunteer Elves Knock On Wood
Here’s the scoop: You know those elves in Santa’s workshop?
They drink beer. Most have day jobs. And their hats? Strictly the baseball variety, stiff with experience.
But man can they work: 1,500 wooden toys off the assembly line this season alone. All handmade. All for Toys for Tots. Flat-bed trucks, semis, vans (delivery and passenger), from roadsters to racing cars. It’s Santa Co. meets the Saturn Car Co.
Actually, it’s the Inland Empire Woodworking Guild meets the HooHoo Club. That’s right. The Hoo-Hoos, international order of lumbermen dedicated to wood products and fairly serious about it in Spokane since 1929. The fraternity visits mills and sponsors woodworking contests.
And the Guild guys?
“Drink beer and eat snacks,” says retired railroad man Hank Kuhlman. (They also visit each other’s shops and hold tool swaps.)
Kuhlman is missing the pinkie finger on his left hand and parts of two others. His business cards read: Hammerin’ Hanks: Specializing in Fingers and Sawdust.
He handcrafts 20 wooden dump trucks a year for Toys for Tots. This year, he joined his woody brethern in also assembling a fleet of cars and trucks from pine donated by Dellen Wood Products Inc. in the Spokane Valley. About 16 volunteers from both clubs made nearly 100 vehicles each. (Hank’s are the low-riders.)
Final assembly took place in organizer Jack Eskeberg’s workshop.
Eskeberg worked alongside a kid he once had in woodshop class at Roosevelt School. Kris Wales is a Hoo-Hoo himself now with kids of his own in college. But Wales still has a bit of wonder for wood. Look at these, he says, spinning the wheels on the trucks.
“You don’t need batteries and they don’t break down.”
Jim Price sanded away, despite a heavily bandaged middle finger. “Chipper shredder in my yard,” he explains. “It got the nail.”
A patent agent, he works with inventors daily and was inspired by the toys that will be given to children throughout December.
“I came up with a tool that I may be making these with next year,” he says cagily. The wives, outfitting the trucks with wheels at the kitchen table, laugh at the idea of automating.
“The fun,” says Red Ahern, “is in the doing.”
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 3 Color photos
MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: HOW YOU CAN HELP You don’t have to be a craftsman to create Christmas joy. Trees of Sharing at NorthTown Mall, Crescent Court and University City bear the wishes of babies to elderly people. For more than a decade, Westminster Congregational Church has worked with 40 agencies to find recipients. Donors can select a label from the tree and return a gift by Dec. 17. Items are usually small and personal. One older person just asked for some See’s candy, said a spokeswoman. Auntie’s Bookstore’s tree has 500 white paper angels - each bearing the name and age of a local child. Staff will select a book that is age-appropriate and affordable. Orders for the Book Angel Project can be taken over the phone. Toys for Tots is accepting new unwrapped toys at 300 collection barrels at fire departments, Safeways and other Spokane locations. Since 1947, when it was created to help the children of servicemen killed in World War II, this drive has delivered more than 200 million toys nationwide. The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Project will distribute toys Nov. 28-Dec. 24 at the Toy Center, corner of Post and Spokane Falls Boulevard. To donate toys only, call 838-3558. To request toys, call 455-5283.