Freedom Pens Project

As an American, I want to wish my fellow countrymen and women a happy and safe Independence Day. To get the festivities off right AND involve woodworking, here’s a great link.

The Freedom Pens Project was established by the members of the Sawmill Creek Woodworking Forum. They have established this non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization to make wooden pens for the American service men and women stationed overseas in combat areas.

Since its inception in 2005, volunteers turning pens for the Freedom Pen effort have produced more than 80,000 pens. Contributions from corporate partners such as Penn State Industries, Rockler and Woodcraft have helped defray the costs, and turning clubs from around the country have – quite literally – turned out thousands of pens.

You don’t even need to own a lathe to help. A contribution of $1.90 is enough to send one pen to a service man or woman deployed overseas.

While the right to disagree with the government’s overseas policy is guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States, supporting the young men and women who have answered the call of duty is widespread across our country. The Freedom Pens Project can show service personnel that we are thinking about them and their day to day safety. Plus, you’ll be providing a tool that person can use to write the folks back home.

While the main site does appear to need some updating, the Sawmill Creek forum that deals with the project can be found here, and the effort is still alive and well.