Grand Haven Woodworks

It's been a hectic month, and I'm late to the game, but April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. It serves as a poignant reminder that we must remain vigilant in the fight against child abuse. It's a time when communities come together to raise awareness, offer support, and advocate for the safety and well-being of our children.

You might remember Zeke's pinwheel. It is a simple wooden object, but also a symbol of the commitment to ending child abuse. If you aren't familiar with their story, I'll include some words from Zeke's dad, Tim, at the end.

Reflecting on the heartfelt story shared by Tim and Zeke, we're reminded of the profound impact abuse can have on young lives and the resilience it takes to overcome such adversity. Their journey underscores the critical importance of nurturing environments where children can flourish without fear or harm.

In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month, I'm humbled to announce that all profits from pinwheel orders placed during the remainder of April will be directed to Prevent Child Abuse America. This organization works tirelessly to prevent the abuse and neglect of our nation's children, offering support to families and communities in need.

By purchasing a pinwheel, you're not only acquiring a beautiful symbol of hope and resilience but also contributing to a cause that's deeply meaningful. Together, let's make a tangible difference in the lives of children everywhere, ensuring they have the opportunity to grow up in safe, nurturing environments where they can thrive.

Spread the word, raise awareness, and join us in supporting Prevent Child Abuse America this April. Together, we can create a world where every child is cherished, protected, and free to embrace their limitless potential. 💙

You can learn more about Prevent Child Abuse America by going to https://preventchildabuse.org/

Here are some words from Zeke's dad, Tim.

"What do you first think of whenever you see a pinwheel? For many of us it brings back childhood memories, playing outside, carefree with a pinwheel. Some of us would run with our arms stretched out holding a pinwheel in our hands, pretending we were an airplane buzzing off the ground. Some of us just sat there gently blowing on it, mesmerized by the spinning motion. So many carefree innocent childhood memories can go back to playing with just a simple pinwheel.

In 2008, Prevent Child Abuse America started a campaign to help raise the awareness of child abuse. The month of April is dedicated as child abuse awareness month and you may see blue and silver pinwheels pop up in yards and area businesses. This is done just to draw a small amount of attention to the number of children each year who experience some sort of abuse. For our family, this hit home in 2012, when Zeke was born. Zeke’s parents had a long struggle with drug addiction and lost custody at birth due to this. At 3 days old Zeke was placed with a relative; unfortunately, this placement was not what Zeke needed. He was abused multiple times until his body just wasn’t able to take it anymore. At 4 months old he was rushed to the hospital unresponsive. Upon arrival it was found that he had multiple broken bones and a non-accidental traumatic brain injury. Zeke was having near constant seizures due to the injuries to over 75% of his brain, his eyes were swollen shut and the optic nerve was damaged causing him to lose his eyesight. Zeke’s life was forever changed in a split second, because someone just couldn’t handle his crying.

For the next month, Zeke was in the hospital alone recovering as best as his body could, before we received the call asking us to become his new foster parents. This was not an easy decision, as I was very scared of just how much care he would need. Thankfully, my wife was more confident and we were blessed to become Zeke’s foster parents and eventually adopted him and became his parents. Over the past 11 years we have had the opportunity to get to know many families who have children who suffered similar injuries from abuse like Zeke, and because of this the Pinwheel holds a special place in our hearts, not only for Zeke but for the countless children who have lived through and passed away from child abuse. Zeke lost so many chances to make the carefree memories that every child should have and unfortunately, he isn’t the only one. Please take the time to think about these memories each time you see a pinwheel, and think about the children who won’t be able to have those joyful memories. April is the month when we try to raise awareness for child abuse, but we need this awareness 24/7/365."

This ark is at Redeemer Christian School in Zeeland, ready for their online auction.

Take a look! https://bid.miedemacharity.com/lots .

I made a new mallet for the workshop! They are useful for tapping things into place without causing damage. This one was made with elm, cherry, walnut, and sassafras. I'm very excited to give it a try.

It's awesome to be able to go by a business and see something I made! This is a 26" x 36" double sided, cedar sign. I don't recommend cedar, or any wood, for these outdoor applications, because of wood movement and the required maintenance, but I'm glad the customer talked me into it. It went great, I think it looks great, and I LOVE the way the scent of cedar fills my shop.

Some snowflake coasters, since I'm sure everyone is missing winter 😉

When I am struggling to wrap my head around a project, I like to take a scrap piece of wood and just make something. It doesn't matter what. It gets me feeling creative and looking at things from different perspectives. That's how this cowboy came to be. I enjoyed making it, and it put me in a better place to tackle my next project!

I can fit in a few more sets before Christmas!

This toy ark is a great example of an idea that came from a customer and turned out really neat! It's always fun to start with an idea and create something new.

Personalized decorations make great wedding gifts. This one was for my brother and my new sister-in-law, who just got married over the weekend. Congratulations guys!!!!!

Here it is finished! This 22" x 34" poplar sign is headed to Halloween Bash at Crash's Landing on 10/21. It will be part of the charity raffle to support Crash's Landing.

Crash’s Landing is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating stray, neglected and abandoned cats in the greater Grand Rapids area. For over 20 years they have been providing a safe haven for cats in need, offering them shelter, medical care, and a chance to find loving forever homes.

I'd like to introduce everyone to my new friend, Zeke. Zeke's dad, Tim, recently reached out to me with an opportunity to make a very special project for his son, and I had a blast putting this wooden pinwheel together. I'll let Tim explain a bit more about Zeke and his pinwheel, in his own words.

"What do you first think of whenever you see a pinwheel? For many of us it brings back childhood memories, playing outside, carefree with a pinwheel. Some of us would run with our arms stretched out holding a pinwheel in our hands, pretending we were an airplane buzzing off the ground. Some of us just sat there gently blowing on it, mesmerized by the spinning motion. So many carefree innocent childhood memories can go back to playing with just a simple pinwheel.

In 2008, Prevent Child Abuse America started a campaign to help raise the awareness of child abuse. The month of April is dedicated as child abuse awareness month and you may see blue and silver pinwheels pop up in yards and area businesses. This is done just to draw a small amount of attention to the number of children each year who experience some sort of abuse. For our family, this hit home in 2012, when Zeke was born. Zeke’s parents had a long struggle with drug addiction and lost custody at birth due to this. At 3 days old Zeke was placed with a relative; unfortunately, this placement was not what Zeke needed. He was abused multiple times until his body just wasn’t able to take it anymore. At 4 months old he was rushed to the hospital unresponsive. Upon arrival it was found that he had multiple broken bones and a non-accidental traumatic brain injury. Zeke was having near constant seizures due to the injuries to over 75% of his brain, his eyes were swollen shut and the optic nerve was damaged causing him to lose his eyesight. Zeke’s life was forever changed in a split second, because someone just couldn’t handle his crying.

For the next month, Zeke was in the hospital alone recovering as best as his body could, before we received the call asking us to become his new foster parents. This was not an easy decision, as I was very scared of just how much care he would need. Thankfully, my wife was more confident and we were blessed to become Zeke’s foster parents and eventually adopted him and became his parents. Over the past 11 years we have had the opportunity to get to know many families who have children who suffered similar injuries from abuse like Zeke, and because of this the Pinwheel holds a special place in our hearts, not only for Zeke but for the countless children who have lived through and passed away from child abuse. Zeke lost so many chances to make the carefree memories that every child should have and unfortunately, he isn’t the only one. Please take the time to think about these memories each time you see a pinwheel, and think about the children who won’t be able to have those joyful memories. April is the month when we try to raise awareness for child abuse, but we need this awareness 24/7/365.

Thank you to Grand Haven Woodworks for designing this wooden pinwheel for Zeke to hold and touch. We hope to see many more throughout our community."

I want to thank Tim and Zeke for giving me the opportunity to be part of this with them. Wooden pinwheels are available starting at $40, and part of each sale will go to benefit Prevent Child Abuse America. To find out more visit them at https://preventchildabuse.org/.

Now offering cats! These are 4.5-5" tall. $20/set +$5 if you'd like engraving. Send a message or email [email protected] to order yours.

Things are heating up at Summers Hottest Arts and Crafts Market! We are all set up and ready to go. There are a TON of cool vendors here. Come check us out from 10am until 3pm today at Griff's Georgetown!

We are all set up for our first craft show this year! Stop by 960 W. Sherman Blvd. in Muskegon between 10:00 and 4:00 and say hi! There are a LOT of really neat vendors here.

I oiled this 3d cutting board today. It really made the pattern stand out.

Oops😉

These are the first coasters I've made. I'm looking forward to making them in all kinds of shapes and patterns.

A couple of photos taken by some friends on a safari with a tree shaped like Africa in the center. Cut into maple.

Made with maple, cherry, hickory, and purpleheart.