KMGH: Woodworking Kits for Kids

Sometimes you do what you can to make your community better. Jerry Powell is doing much more than that. “Everyone has to pitch in and do what they can right now. This is kind of an all hands on deck effort whether we like it or not.” Jerry owns Castle Rock Woodworks. He's pitching in by giving away custom made do it yourself building kits for kids. Only asking for donations to help pay it forward. “The whole idea is that these are supposed to be something easy and simple for parents. So the construction is very simple, just takes glue to put together and as you can see the kids have a great time painting them and it's just a way to give the kids a hands-on activity and the parents a little break and still throw in that little bit of education along the way while the kids are at home.” Jerry knows this current work stoppage and stay at home order is hurting his neighbors and it's breaking his heart seeing the need first hand. There are a lot of folks that are hurting big-time. We've had grandparents picking up crying saying, you know my daughter is a single mother watching her four kids. We're on a fixed income. We've had mothers come in saying I have seven dollars to my name. So there are people that need the help so we are giving these away. They don't need to be purchased, but those who have been giving donations to help out cover the material cost, is the reason why we can continue to do additional projects.” Jerry has done even more by providing these plans, free of charge on the Internet, to anyone who has a machine just like this. At last count 17,000 of these wood building kids have been made in 18 countries around the world. Jerry says everyone has a capacity to do something this is what he says is the least he can do. “We are not set up where we can do something like make masks or PPE equipment, things that. We can't contribute in that way so we pivoted and tried to find a way we can support the community, the parents, the school and the kids and this just seemed the best way to do that.” If you would like to pick up a free building kit for your kid head to the Castle Rock Woodwork's page on Facebook and contact Jerry there. JL D7