Dickinson County woodworking non-profit prepares to welcome new members, begin workshops

BREITUNG TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WLUC) - A Dickinson County non-profit group is looking to share its knowledge on woodworking with the community. Organizers said the satisfaction of completing a project by hand can be a stress reliever for many.

What started out as a hobby for Tom Wender has turned into a community organization. Wender is the President of Pine Creek Woodworking, a non-profit group that aims to bring woodworking education to Dickinson County. He started the group one year ago.

“We want to get people off the couch, give them something to do. When you think about it, people have a lot of talent out there, and they don’t have a place to go,” Wender said. “They can teach other people how to do it and help other people. That is why we are here.”

Wender said the organization’s target groups are veterans, seniors, and anyone else interested in woodworking. He said first-timers or longtime craftsmen and women are welcome.

“You see it, you do it with your hands, you take a piece of wood and make it into what you want. There is a lot of gratification with it,” Wender said.

Wender said the non-profit will offer woodworking classes from area experts. It will be free for members, and non-members will pay a fee at the door. The organization has been completely self-funded, with more than $80,000 worth of equipment purchased.

“We were able to pull this off because of the people in this area,” Wender said.

The organization is based on Upper Pine Creek Road in Breitung Township, inside a 100-year-old building the group restored.

Albert Santoni is a board member for the non-profit and also owns Dickinson Homes. He has practiced woodworking for more than 65 years.

“It’s another asset to our community. I think it feels a need, there are a lot of people that want to learn woodworking skills,” Santoni said.

Wender welcomes anyone interested in becoming a member to attend the group’s opening day on Jan. 21 at 9 a.m. CT. He said the annual membership fee will be $200.

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