“Lean On Me”

Cane/Memorial project information up-date

Bill Phillips May 28, 2008

 

In an effort to keep carvers informed, the committee would like to post an up-date on our “Lean on Me” Cane Project.   Our program is celebrating our first year Anniversary and we thank all of the carvers who have sent us a carved eagle head for our veterans.   We have made a few changes to the program which are listed below.  If you have comments or cane/memorial request, please let us know.

 

     <  We have changed our  wording from WOUNDED to INJURED veterans

 

    <  We make and award memorials to families of vets killed in action since post 911 if the families    

        request it. 

 

    <    We will make a cane for all living WW 11 veterans.  We feel they have been thru some of our

          countries worst history and therefore deserve our support if they so desire.

 

    <  We are contemplating offering canes to vets that  were assigned to and served in

        the countries of Korea, Vietnam or the Middle East conflicts.   We will announce guide lines ASAP if this is 

        approved.

 

    <  We are requesting a copy of the vets DD 214 (discharge papers) along with a copy of our cane   

         application which is printable from our web site (www.miwca.com).  Most of the info we need to   

         decorate canes is listed on these forms.

 

    <  We are asking carvers to send in only one finished cane topper until all carvers have had the honor of having their

          eagle head used.  As soon as more heads are needed we will ask for your continued support.

 

    <  We request that carvers only send us eagle heads that have handles.  Please check out the web site   

           www.miwca.com and use the pattern                                   

 

    <  We are working out the details allowing us to offer a kit containing a cane shaft and a set of pre printed   

         decals so a carver or club can make and present a cane for a local veteran.

 

    <  We suggest if a carver or a club makes their own cane that they should use their own club patch on the cane -  not     

          the MWCA patch.  This will bring special attention to your club.

 

    <  We encourage all clubs to host an eagle head carve-in in their local clubs helping those who would like to become

         part of the cane project.

 

 

We have been asked to give some guidance in the presentation of a cane/memorial.   If you do it on your own or as the speaker/presenter thru the association we suggest:

 

       Start with a short history lesson on how this program started in Oklahoma and how Michigan became the 15th State to become involved in May 2007.   You may want to mention that the MWCA presented our first cane just one month later to a Michigan vet’s family because the vet was having surgery in Walter Reed Hospital from injuries in Iraq.   You will find some additional info on our web site at (www.miwca.com).

 

        We speak about how proud we are of all of our veterans, their families and the sacrifices they have made for all of us.  We try to have special remarks pertaining to the vet that is receiving the cane/memorial.   We find it helpful to talk to the recipient, unless the cane is a surprise, when gathering information about his/her service.   This info will help make the presentation more personal if you can make mention of special things that happened to or were awarded to the vet during this part of the program.

 

      Just prior to actually presenting the cane/memorial to the veteran/family we make comments regarding how honored the Michigan Wood Carvers Association, its 44 clubs and over 1300 members are to award this cane/memorial.

 

    If you are comfortable we suggest that you give the vet a personal hug and thank them for their service.  

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