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Thread: Woodcraft is leaving the Freedom Pens Project

  1. #1
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    Exclamation Woodcraft is leaving the Freedom Pens Project

    Woodcraft's corporate office has just informed me that they will be operating their own project to provide pens for our Troops. Woodcraft prefers to handle their own distribution to send their pens directly to the Middle East so they will no longer be operating as part of our project.

    As Woodcraft will no longer host our Freedom Pens Project Veterans Day Turn-A-Thons we need to find an alternate host for our TAT's. Your help obtaining either another company as a host or an alternate local facility would be appreciated. Jackie and I will be glad to coordinate announcements concerning local events including locations and time for each event.

    Please respond in this thread if you are able to coordinate a local host so we can get a list of sites together for this years Turn-A-Thon.

    Yesterday I was informed that the Military Medics and the Morale Welfare and Recreation Centers will help us to distribute our pens to our Troops. This will help us streamline the route of pens from our organization directly to those serving in the combat areas.

    Thanks,
    Keith
    Last edited by Keith Outten; 08-18-2007 at 9:29 AM.

  2. #2
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    This might go hand in hand with Woodcrafts new 'management'. My brother-in-law works for the company that owned it and he said much has changed.

    But then again, this is info from a brother-in-law... I could be mis-informed.

  3. #3
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    Jon,

    I was told that "Woodcraft believes the total number of pens going to the troops will be increased if we separately continue with our plans".

    I can't say that I follow their logic, it seems to me that division might be good for Woodcrafts commercial business but it can't help to get more pens to our troops IMO. Woodcraft has been told that they are not to use our Freedom pens Project logo as part of their project or event advertising as their corporate management has decided to leave our program.

    I have contacted Lowes to see if they are interested in hosting our Veterans Day Turn-A-Thon and I will try to get our Project on their list for contributions if possible. I wil be contacting the leaders of large turning groups as soon as i have ia decision from Lowes or have an alternative company willing to work with the Freedom Pens Project. If Lowes agrees I will do as much legwork as I can to make sure our loyal pen turners are at Lowes this year.

    .
    Last edited by Keith Outten; 08-23-2007 at 8:13 AM.

  4. #4
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    Dec 2004
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    Martinsville, Indiana
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    Keith,

    Have you tried Rockler? They are in direct competition with Woodcraft in many cities. They may be willing to step up to the place and host some events. They host many local woodworking groups here in Indianapolis. I have also noticed that a number of former Woodcraft employees are not working there instead....Hmmm


  5. #5
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    Jean,

    I will be contacting Rockler this week. I had been waiting for Lowes to respond but I haven't heard anything from them yet...the wheels turn slow with large companies.

    We have had Turn-A-Thons at Rockler stores in the past. I think one of the Rockler stores in Tennessee set an all time sales record at one of our events so I expect they will welcome us once again

    Stay tuned everyone, we are in the process of contacting all of the turning groups and will make announcements here in this thread as information becomes available.

    By all means pleae help us to spread the word about our change of location for the Veterans Day Turn-A-Thon and get involved. I have been glueing up pen blanks in preparation for my family of turners who are all gearing up to turn as many pens as we can throughout the remainder of the year.

    Anyone who needs pen blanks or pen kits contact Jackie, please give her some lead time to get your order ready to ship particularly if you need a large order for a TAT. I have plenty of pen blanks in my shop office for Freedom Pens if anyone needs a variety let me know.

    We can still make our annual goal of 15 to 30 thousand pens if we work together the remainder of this year so help us out and get involved.

    Thanks to everyone for your continued support making Freedom Pens for our Troops.

    Keith
    .

  6. #6
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    Well in spite of my efforts so far to organize a Freedom Pens Project Turn-a-Thon for Veterans Day 2007 I have not made any progress. Lowes has failed to respond to our request to provide space for our turners, my call to their corporate office and request for help has gone unanswered. Obviously I am very disappointed in their failure to at least respond with a yes or no answer.

    I am trying to connect with someone at Rockler Woodworking and Hardware.



    .
    Last edited by Keith Outten; 10-29-2007 at 10:30 AM.

  7. #7
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    Pen Project

    Keith: What is it exactly that you need a company like Lowes or Woodcraft to do to help ? Do you need a company that has lathes in many cities ? How many pens do you want to make ?

  8. #8
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    Exclamation ATTENTION: Albuquerque-area turners!

    I just spoke to Albuquerque Woodcraft, and they WILL have a Turn-a-Thon on Saturday, November 10, at the store, from 9 to 5. The lathe classroom will be open, and each participant will get one pen kit and one set of blanks for free to turn for the Freedom Pen Project. They will also accept for shipment any pens that are turned at home for the project.

    The gentleman I spoke with has no idea why Woodcraft corporate has pulled out (and really wasn't aware that they had done so)---as late as this past summer corporate reimbursed the local store for 100 pen kits for the Ruidoso group to turn Freedom Pens.

    Since Albuquerque is not a "company" store, but is locally-owned, they aren't compelled to fall under the corporate constraints. Since the owner and his wife are retired Army and have a daughter who was/is active military, they are big boosters of the program, so I don't foresee Albuquerque abandoning the project at all.

    Bottom line: come one, come all to Woodcraft on November 10 for a turn-a-thon!!!!

    Nancy (51 days)
    Nancy Laird
    Owner - D&N Specialties, Rio Rancho, New Mexico
    Woodworker, turner, laser engraver; RETIRED!
    Lasers - ULS M-20 (20W) & M-360 (40W), Corel X4 and X3
    SMC is user supported. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/donate.php
    ___________________________
    It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

  9. #9
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    Nancy.....that's sure different than what the Spokane Woodcraft is doing. They are having a turn-a-thon but they've renamed it and they are sending the pens themselves and claiming all the glory.

    I just bought my PM3520B from them. I'm going to let them know I'm more that just a little disappointed in Woodcraft.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim King View Post
    Keith: What is it exactly that you need a company like Lowes or Woodcraft to do to help ? Do you need a company that has lathes in many cities ? How many pens do you want to make ?
    Jim,

    The optimum location for us has been Woodcraft because they have stores in 80 cities that are setup with multiple lathes in their training labs. Lowes could have provided space for us but we would have had to bring our own equipment.

    We need as many pens as we can possibly make, there are so many serving in the Middle East combat areas that we couldn't possibly give a pen to every Service member...but we are trying.

    In the past our Turn-A-Thons have been good business for Woodcraft with thousands of woodworkers gathering at their stores nationwide to turn Freedom Pens. Many stores that hosted Freedom Pens TAT's experienced record sales. I purchased an 18" band saw at one of our TAT's, I felt that it was a good thing to support Woodcraft since they had been so good to us. It is unlikely that I will ever visit one of their stores again after they pulled the plug on us on August 18th and left us little time to find an alternate host. But that is to be expected I guess because it also didn't give us time to move our pen turners away from their stores.

    I was told via an email that Woodcraft feels that "the total number of pens will be increased if we separately continue with our plans". Do I believe it, not on your life.

    .
    Last edited by Keith Outten; 10-31-2007 at 1:21 PM.

  11. #11
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    Aug 2006
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    Johnson City, Tennessee
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    I just received the November sale paper from my local Woodcraft and they are advertising it as "Turn for Troops" co-sponsored by Berea Hardwoods.

    I wish that I could say I won't visit them any more but I didn't before because of their attitude.

  12. #12
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    Let them know how you feel:
    Woodcraft customer service: custserv@woodcraft.com
    Jodie Garret, VP Marketing and Merchandising: Jody_Garrett@woodcraft.com

    Berea Hardwoods: info@bereahardwoods.com

    Each store also has their own email address: http://www.woodcraft.com/stores/

    Or you can write:
    Woodcraft Supply, LLC
    Attn: Jeff Forbes, President
    1177 Rosemar Rd
    P.O. Box 1686
    Parkersburg, WV 26102

    For some reason I picture Mr. Forbes as Clark Griswold's boss in the movie "Christmas Vacation"
    Last edited by Matt Meiser; 11-01-2007 at 3:57 PM. Reason: Added the VP of Marketing and Merchandising's email address.

  13. #13
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    I just sent mine, kept it nice but to the point.

    We ALL need to let them know. Power in numbers.

    Thanks Matt for posting the addresses.

  14. #14
    My email...

    Re: This announcement on Saw Mill Creek woodworking forum
    Freedom Pens Project

    Woodcraft's corporate office has just informed me that they will be operating their own project to provide pens for our Troops. Woodcraft prefers to handle their own distribution to send their pens directly to the Middle East so they will no longer be operating as part of our project.

    As Woodcraft will no longer host our Freedom Pens Project Veterans Day Turn-A-Thons we need to find an alternate host for our TAT's.


    __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __

    As someone who has spent his adult life being part of and now supporting our troops … one of which is my son … I can not standby and see this happen based on corporate greed.

    I ask that you to remove me from all correspondence from your company. I can also assure you that I will not frequent your local stores.

    Glenn Clabo
    Rhode Island
    Glenn Clabo
    Michigan

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Hayes, Virginia
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    Well I don't feel as bad since I'm not alone.

    I'm all set for Veterans Day with over 200 pen blanks glued and ready to turn. I think we will make our At Home TAT an all day family event with lunch and of course dinner for my oldest daughter Kathy since November 11th is her birthday.

    No birthday presents until all the pens are turned

    I was also buying a lot of supplies for our sign shop at CNU from Woodcraft, that won't be the case anymore. The sad part is that I really like the manager of our local Woodcraft store and his staff, they are allways friendly and have been great to work with.

    .

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